New Romantics
by HotchnerJareau
Summary: Aaron Hotchner and Jennifer Jareau are slowly stepping back into the dating world. Established JJ/Hotch. Present day.
1. Nerves

**A/N: Here's a new thing I've been working on. This is a story called New Romantics, and it features a series of short chapters, hghlighting important parts in JJ and Hotch's new relationship. I hope you like it.**

 **I also have a new Instagram account for my stories! Check out hotchnerjareau on Instagram for the condensed versions of my new stories! **

**Please enjoy & review!**

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Jennifer Jareau felt her heart pounding against her chest. She could swear sweat beads were forming on her forehead. There, across the bar, sat Aaron Hotchner. He wasn't wearing a suit for once. He donned blue jeans and a black v-neck.

"You're staring again," her friend reminded her with a small nudge to her shoulder.

JJ turned back as her eyes bulged. "No, I wasn't."

"You're a terrible liar."

"Shut up, Penelope."

"Go and talk to him," Penelope coaxed before taking another sip of her martini.

Jennifer rolled her eyes and slouched a little. She picked up her straw and swirled it around in her drink as she thought of things to say.

"JJ, you've both got kids, and they're gonna grow up and leave and you'll have nobody."

"I'll still be in love with him, though," JJ mused.

"But you won't be _with_ him," Penelope countered with a grin. She looked over at her boss and shrugged. "Just go over there and talk to him."

"What if–"

"What if, what? JJ, he loves you. It's so obvious. He stares at you all the time, he sits next to you on the plane, and he always buys you lunch. He might not be saying 'I love you', but he's sure as hell showing it."

Jennifer bit her lower lip and stared at her drink in thought. She could feel her friend's eyes on her as she contemplated her decision. Maybe Penelope was right. Her boss always bought her lunch, sat beside her, and he even stared at her a few times. Maybe he did like her. Maybe. But what if he was just being nice? What if he was just being sympathetic, knowing she'd had a messy divorce just a year earlier?

"What if he doesn't really love me, though?" JJ asked. Before Penelope could speak, she continued. "What if he does it because he feels sorry for me?"

"So, he's been sorry for you for over ten years, then?"

JJ sighed. Once again, her eyes drifted over to him. He was sitting with some other guy, laughing and talking. He looked up, around the bar, causing her to cover herself and look away. She went back to staring at her full glass of vodka.

"I mean, he probably thinks I'm attractive. Probably, you know?"

"Oh, buttercup, I'm sure of it. You're a very pretty girl. He loves you. Just go for it," Penelope encouraged with a smile.

Jennifer slipped off of the bar stool and fixed her shirt. She took a deep breath and said, "do I look okay?"

Her friend nodded. "Don't you always?"

JJ walked through the dim bar, pushing through crowds of drunken groups of friends. It didn't take her long to find the man she'd been staring at all night. She took another deep breath and walked up to him as if she'd been meaning to all evening.

"JJ?" He said with a wide smile.

Jennifer grinned and tried to cover it, but she failed. "Hi."

"Why didn't you come over sooner?" He asked. "My friend told me you couldn't keep your eyes off of me."

The blonde's stomach dropped a little as she cursed at herself inside. How embarrassing was that? She figured she couldn't go back and act as though this hadn't happened, so she decided to tell the truth.

"I got nervous," she admitted.

Aaron leaned in close and laughed. "Yeah?"

She nodded. "Why didn't you come over to me?"

"I got nervous, too."

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 **I hope you liked this. This series will just be short chapters of little bits in JJ and Hotch's relationship. Please leave a review if you'd be so kind! I enjoy your feedback!**


	2. Indigo

**A/N: Hello lovelies! Here is chapter 2!**

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The knock at the door couldn't have come sooner. Jennifer took a deep breath and flattened out her dress before opening the front door.

"Look at you," Aaron Hotchner said in wonder as he marvelled at her body. It looked absolutely beautiful in the indigo dress she was wearing.

"You're not too bad, yourself," Jennifer replied, slipping into her heels. It looked quite awkward and she could barely hold herself up. "Whoops!"

Aaron stepped in and closed the door behind him. "Are the boys home?"

"No, they're staying with my mother," JJ said, holding her boss's forearm to help her balance.

"Spring break is always great," Hotch said as he looked around. "Jack's at a soccer camp."

"Ah, soccer camp. I remember—whoa!" She fell again and looked up at the man in embarrassment. "Sorry, I should've gotten these on before you came."

"Do you not have any other shoes?"

"When you're short, the only shoes that work are heels. I have maybe one pair of flats somewhere–"

"You don't need to wear heels with me. I love how little you are, I always have."

His words made Jennifer freeze. For a moment, she felt like everything had clicked into place. It felt right. She wanted this to be just like the movies. She wanted to stand on her tip toes and kiss him and make him blush in excitement. Instead, she did what came to her.

"Oh thank God, I hate those things!" She exclaimed, kicking the black pumps to the wall. She felt around until she found some old sandals. They had black straps, and they were flat and comfy, and she used to love them.

"Those are nice, you should wear those," Aaron suggested.

"Yeah?" JJ said. She put them on easily and stood up.

"The buckle..." He reminded her.

"I'm sorry for all this," she said with a nervous laugh as she bent down. She buckled them up and flattened her dress out once again. "Okay, ready to go?"

"Ready," Aaron said as he took her hand. It was going to be a wonderful night.

They were now sitting in the restaurant, eating dinner. It had gone quite well so far, and both of them were enjoying their evening.

"What do you think about the future?" Aaron asked as he picked up his pint of beer.

JJ stared at her glass of white wine. "I haven't given it much thought. I mean, I see the boys in it obviously, and part of me sees you."

"I see you in my future," Aaron said. "And the boys. I see us being a family. It sounds silly that I've given it so much thought–"

"No, it doesn't," Jennifer countered, staring into his eyes. "We've held back on this for years. It isn't strange to think about each other."

"We're not taking this too fast, are we?" Hotch asked. "I mean, do you think the boys would appreciate the fact that we're together?"

"I'd marry you tomorrow," JJ said with a laugh. "But there's a lot of stuff we still have to talk about."

"Like what?" Hotch said. He started to dig into his dinner again.

"Well," JJ said quietly. "Where would we live? How would the kids handle it? Do we want more kids–"

"Do we want more kids?" Aaron asked in surprise. "Do you?"

"I'm open to it," JJ responded, studying her hands. "I've always wanted a house full of kids, but with our jobs..."

"So have I," Hotch said. "I see what you mean...we do have a lot to go over."

JJ nodded and looked down. "Yeah."

"What will the team say?" Aaron asked gently as he began to laugh.

"Dave will be on our asses," JJ said. "But Penelope will be really happy. I think we should keep it between us for now."

"Between us?"

"Yeah."

By then, their plates were clear, and a waiter had come by to offer dessert. JJ and Hotch both declined politely and got ready to leave.

"Do you wanna come back to my place?" JJ asked. "Nobody's home."

"I'd like that," Hotch said. And so they went back to JJ's house together.

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 **A/N: I hope you liked it!**


	3. Coffee

**A/N: I love this chapter, so I hope you do too.**

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Waking up together certainly wasn't planned. It was still technically their first date, since he had slept over after coming home from dinner. Coming home together on the first date wasn't something JJ had considered. Their night had been spent watching old thrillers from the 80's and eating whatever JJ had in her cupboards. They had a lot of fun together, and they looked forward to doing it again. There was no contact whatsoever, and they were both fine with that. After having baby Michael nearly 8 months earlier, Jennifer wasn't feeling the most confident about her body as she usually was. Aaron Hotchner woke up just a few minutes after JJ and discovered that she had already started the coffee. He took a seat at her kitchen table and ran his hands through his hair.

"It's a nice day," he said, admiring his colleague's backyard. Henry's toys sat upon the grass all over, and a soccer net sat in the corner.

"Given it's April, yeah," JJ said with a slight chuckle. "I was beginning to think I'd never get out there to do the weeds."

"I can do those," Aaron offered.

"It's fine," JJ said, waving off his offer with her hand. "We don't use the yard much, anyway."

When the coffee finished brewing, the blonde made her way over to the machine and poured two cups.

"You don't have to," Hotch told her. "I...I can leave if you want."

"No, stay!" JJ said, handing him a blue cup. "I enjoy your company."

Aaron nodded and smiled as he looked around at Jennifer's neutral-toned home filled with children's toys and pictures. It felt warm and inviting, sort of like a sanctuary.

"It beats being alone," the man told her, bringing the hot coffee to his lips. "This is nice...I like sharing a coffee with someone once in a while."

"Me, too," Jennifer said. "I'm just glad we're not sitting in the BAU."

"Yeah," Aaron replied, "we deserve some time off."

JJ laughed. "So you finally admit it, Mr. I Never Take Vacations?"

"Damn," the dark-haired man said with a laugh. "I guess so."

It went silent for a few moments until Jennifer spoke up.

"Last night was really nice with you," she told him with a smile. "I felt really happy."

"So did I," the man replied, glancing at the clock. It was late morning and the world seemed to have woken up. The pair decided to take a seat at the kitchen table. Now seated, JJ's hands rested around her coffee cup.

"How do you like dating again?" She asked.

Hotch shrugged. "To be honest, I was petrified when you approached me in the bar last Friday. But...I don't know, when I saw you last night in that blue dress, I felt relieved."

"Really?" JJ said with a smile.

"Yeah," Aaron replied. "How do you feel?"

"I was a bit nervous. Michael and Henry are really young and none of us were expecting...what happened with Will. But I knew they needed someone like you to help raise them."

Hotch shifted in his seat. He looked down at his now empty coffee cup.

"Jack would love a mother figure like you to help raise him, and I'm sure he'd love to have Henry and Michael around. He's always wanted siblings."

"Henry wants a lot of brothers," JJ said with a laugh. "He's got Michael for now, and soon he'll have Jack. I think that's enough."

"Would you like to have more?" Hotch asked.

JJ nodded subtly. "Yeah," she told him. "But, like I said, our jobs are brutal. I wasn't expecting Michael, nor was I really expecting Henry. I'm not cut out to be a mother, you know? I wanted to put my job before anything...and then I had a one night stand and got pregnant. So, I'm an excellent role model, aren't I?"

"JJ, stop putting yourself down," Aaron told his friend. "Nobody's truly ready for children. There's never going to be a right time. I still worry if I'm doing alright with Jack, but the most important thing is that he knows I love him. That's parenting. Nobody's cut out to be parents."

Jennifer sighed and looked up at him.

"Thank you," she said. "I needed that."

"Anytime," he told her.

"We should do this more often," JJ said with a small smile.

"Definitely," Aaron said. "Ruby's tomorrow evening? I'll pick you up at six."

"I'll be ready," the blonde said with a grin.

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 **A/N: Ruby's is a diner in Los Angeles, but I'm sure there's another few billion Ruby's diners elsewhere. Hahaha. Go me. Feedback is appreciated!**


	4. Sunset

**A/N: Here is chapter 4. This is sort of fluffy, but it's mostly getting to know each other.**

 **Small reminder: this story is set in present day.**

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Jennifer had never been to this diner before. It was quite nice, yet causal, and it felt comfortable. She walked in with Aaron Hotchner and they took a booth by the big windows. The big windows were marvellous. They showcased a view of the nearby beach. If they got out of there at a most precise time, they could just catch the sun going down.

"I like your tie," JJ said as she opened her menu.

"I like your dress," Aaron told her softly. The woman looked down at her menu, but he continued admiring her. Then she looked up at him.

"You're staring," she said with a smile. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Hotch told her. "It's just...you look really good in black."

Jennifer laughed. "Really? I thought it would be too classy for a casual restaurant."

"No, it's fine. It's...wow, you look really nice tonight."

"Thank you," JJ said warmly.

A waitress came over and stood by their booth.

"Is there anything you'd like to drink?" She asked kindly.

Hotch and JJ looked at each other before looking up at the woman.

"You first," the man told her.

"Pink lemonade, please," she said with a smile.

"I'll take a root beer, please," Hotch added.

The waitress walked away, leaving them to their conversation.

"Root beer? I didn't know you were a root beer kind of guy."

"Sunday morning football," Aaron said. "As soon as it hits eleven, we get the root beer out. No more coffee–"

"Sunday morning football?" JJ asked. "You and Jack watch that?"

Hotch nodded. "You and Henry don't?"

JJ shook her head. "Depends who's playing," she said. "I only watch if it's the Redskins."

"So, not that often," Hotch concluded.

"Yeah," Jennifer said with a laugh. "For an avid football fan, I'm terrible. What's your favourite team?"

"The Jets," Hotch said.

"Oh, I hate you," JJ said jokingly. "Henry is the biggest fan of the Jets."

"Lucky for you, I don't think Jack totally hates the Redskins."

Jennifer rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Hey, there's a game between them in two weeks. I'll bet you the Jets win," Hotch told her.

JJ put her hand across the table and the man shook it.

"Game on."

* * *

After they finished dinner, the pair headed out to the beach. There weren't many people there. It mostly consisted of couples walking along the water, and some teenagers having a campfire.

"Is that a good dress?" Hotch asked as they approached the water.

JJ shrugged. "Emily sent it to me," she told him. "She said I could have fun in it, whatever that means."

"Does this count as having fun?" The man said as he kicked water at her.

"I can't believe you!" JJ exclaimed, kicking water at his suit.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Aaron said. "I'll make it up to you. There's an ice cream place just down the boardwalk. We can get there before it closes if we go now."

Jennifer slumped. "But you bought me dinner. The least I can do is pay for this."

"No, please," Aaron told her as he grabbed her hand. He helped her up onto the boardwalk. "I enjoy spending time with you, and right now, I want to pay for our time together."

JJ nodded subtly. "Okay," she said softly as they began to walk down the boardwalk. "But I'll pay next time."

"So, there'll be a next time?" Hotch asked with a smile. He turned to JJ and watched the setting sun ahead of them glisten in her eyes.

"Of course," she said, turning to him. They locked eyes for a moment. "And many, many times after that."

"There's the ice cream place," Hotch said as they approached the empty booth. Two tables and chairs sat outside of it.

"What would you guys like?" The man in the booth asked. He had a tag on him. His name was Andy.

Hotch turned to JJ.

"I've never been here before," Jennifer admitted. "What should I get?"

Hotch laughed. "I'll take a chocolate ice cream," he said. "They sell some of the best vanilla ice cream ever...you like vanilla, right?"

"Yes," JJ said with a smile. "I'll have vanilla, please."

It didn't take long for them to get their ice cream and pay. They walked back down the boardwalk with their ice creams, watching the sun set.

"I loved this," JJ told him. "I got to see a side of you that I don't normally see, and I like that side."

"I'm glad you do," he replied, looking at her. She looked so beautiful in the orange tint of the dying sun. "I love getting to share this side of me with you."

Jennifer turned to him and caught him looking. "You're staring again," she said lightly.

"I know," Hotch told her as they continued their walk. "Oh, I know."

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 **A/N: I think this is a nice chapter. Next chapter shows them in a more domestic setting, since it includes the boys, but I think you'll like it. Jack & Henry get a play date!**


	5. Sunday

**A/N: Here is chapter 5. Enjoy & review please!**

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The thought of having Henry over made Jack beam in excitement. His father had brewed coffee, got the tv ready, and cleaned the apartment. In a way, this confused Jack. His father rarely cleaned up when people came over. Not this much, anyway.

When Jennifer and her two sons arrived, Jack and Hotch were eager to greet them.

"Can I see baby Michael?" Jack asked excitedly, looking over the baby carrier.

"Let them come inside first," Hotch said. He gave JJ a quick hug as she set her keys and diaper bag down on the table.

"Michael's sleeping," Henry said quietly, pressing a finger to his lips. "Shh."

"You can put him in my room if you'd like," Hotch said. "He won't be woken up; Jack's bedroom is down the hallway."

"Can we see him?" Jack asked.

Henry pushed back Michael's blue blanket, revealing a soundly sleeping little boy.

"He is so small!" Jack exclaimed.

JJ gave him a sincere smile as she shouldered the diaper bag.

"Henry, please be good, okay?" She said to her son.

The small blonde boy nodded and ran off with his friend.

"I'll take that," Hotch said. He slid the bag off of Jennifer's shoulder and carried it to where Michael would take his morning nap.

JJ unclipped Michael from his carrier and took him out gently. Swaddled in a fluffy blue blanket, he stirred in his mother's arms.

"Wanna hold him?" She asked. "I have to set his stuff up."

Hotch's eyes widened and he smiled. "Yeah."

Jennifer placed Michael into her boss's arms and grinned at the baby as he stirred. She turned to the bed and placed pillows in a rectangular shape so Michael wouldn't fall off of the bed during his nap.

"He's awake," Aaron said gently, running his left index finger down the side of Michael's soft face.

"I only got him down when we left," JJ said with a small sigh. "I'm sorry."

"There's still a few minutes before the game starts. Don't worry," Aaron told her as he looked back down at the 7 month old. "I've got him."

Jennifer watched Aaron calm Michael down. She could see the look in his eyes, and it sparked something she hadn't felt in a while.

"You wanna be a dad again?" She blurted out.

Hotch looked up at the blonde. He glanced down at Michael and back up to JJ. Eventually, he let out the breath he seemed to be holding.

"Yeah," he said quietly, breaking into an uncontrollable smile. "I mean, I miss when Jack was this small."

JJ nodded in understanding. "Henry, too. Time just goes by so fast, you know? Soon, this little man won't fit in my arms anymore and...I don't know."

"Here," Hotch said, placing Michael back into his mother's arms. "Do you wanna go and watch the game?"

JJ nodded and placed her baby down on the bed. She covered him up with a few layers and closed the blinds and let him sleep.

"Alright, Jets vs Redskins," Hotch said, putting his hand out.

Jennifer shook his hand and laughed as they sat down in the living area.

"Okay, we shook, what's the bet?" She asked.

"If you win," Aaron started, "you do my paperwork for a week."

JJ nodded.

"And if I win," she began. She looked around the room in thought. "If I win, you bring me two bags of Cheetos every day for a week."

"Have we got a deal?" Hotch asked.

"I think we do," JJ said.

And then the game started. So did the yelling. A lot of yelling. Cans of root beer and lemonade were opened and about ten arm wrestling matches had taken place.

"You're terrible!" JJ exclaimed, beating Aaron for the sixth time in a row. She downed half a can of lemonade and fell back into the soft couch.

"At least my team isn't losing," Hotch said, pointing to the tv.

Jennifer rolled her eyes and stretched her leg across the couch, making herself comfortable.

"Okay, it's fourteen to ten," she said, picking up her can of lemonade.

"They'll start crying before the game's even over," Aaron said. "And I will be enjoying paperwork-free nights."

"Speaking of crying," JJ said as she got up off of the couch. "One second."

She went down the hallway and slipped into Hotch's bedroom, where her little boy was crying. She checked him and held him close to her until she realized what he needed. She opened the diaper bag and went through it, trying to find a bottle or some sort of baby food. When she couldn't find it, she knew she had to go along with the option she'd sort of been dreading.

"Okay, Bubby," she said gently, pulling her Redskins sweater up. She lifted Michael to her chest and held him there until he latched on. Every few seconds, she would look down at him and smile proudly at the infant. "It's okay, calm down."

"Hey, I was just–" Hotch froze when he entered the room. Jennifer breastfeeding Michael wasn't something he quite expected to see. "I'll give you a minute."

JJ laughed to herself. "I forgot his bottles, and this is the only way I can...yeah. I didn't think you'd have puréed peas or carrots. You can stay, Hotch, I don't mind."

The man sat down on the bed, across from the rocking chair that Jennifer was sitting on.

"How is he?" He asked.

JJ looked down at Michael. "He's a very good eater," she said. "Very sleepy, though."

Aaron admired the woman's smile and her soothing voice as she encouraged her son to eat. Her hair was in a small messy bun, and she wore a sweatshirt and leggings. He found her absolutely beautiful. And she loved football.

Jennifer looked up at Aaron and smiled genuinely. "I shouldn't be too much longer," she said.

"No, no, take your time," he told her.

"Did you pause it?" JJ asked.

Hotch nodded. "Yeah, so take as long as you need."

"Thank you for waiting for me," Jennifer said, looking down at her son once more.

"Always," Hotch said with a smile.

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 **A/N: I hope you liked this chapter!**


	6. Buttoned Up

**A/N: I've been really hesitant to update because I have lost all of my motivation. I haven't written in WEEKS, and I haven't gotten ANY reviews, either. It is such a horrible feeling, wanting to give up because of something as silly as a couple reviews, but I'm feeling it. So, this might be my last update...I haven't really decided. I wrote this over a month ago, so this isn't anything new. Nothing's really good anymore and I keep feeling like it's not good enough for a review. I know you're all busy or you forget to review, but it does affect the writer. It's true, you can ask anyone. Oh well. At least I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

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Walking into work together wasn't planned at all. At this point in their relationship, they wanted to keep it private, and with their friends being profilers, this would be difficult. They had held hands on the elevator up to the 6th floor, and as soon as the doors opened, they let go. These were their "little things".

"You're late, Hotch," Morgan said as soon as the pair exited the elevator. "I came early to run these papers by you."

"Yeah, I got a bit held up," Hotch said. "There was a mix up. I thought Jack was with Jessica this morning."

Derek looked from Hotch to JJ.

"Alright," he said as he turned to walk away. "I left 'em on your desk. Let me know what you think."

"Will do," Aaron said. He watched Morgan walk down the hallway.

"This won't be a secret for long," JJ said as they walked into the bullpen. They turned to their right to see Spencer Reid and Penelope Garcia in a conversation. They waved and smiled and carried on through the bullpen.

"You know, they're probably having another meeting," Spencer said quietly as he watched them walk through the room.

"No," Penelope said. "Watch them. Look at them. They're laughing."

Reid shook his head. "Actually, I think JJ's considering stepping down for a while," he started, causing Garcia to turn her head in surprise.

"Since having Michael, she's been complaining of sleep deprivation, so I suggested she work fewer hours, but I think she's actually stepping down."

JJ and Hotch walked up to his office.

"Oh," Penelope said dramatically. "Look at them. Inseparable."

"They're in his office, Garcia...? I don't understand."

Garcia turned back to her friend and grabbed his hands. "So, last Friday, JJ and I were in Joe's and Hotch was there. She couldn't take her eyes off of him, and eventually she got up and went over to him and they did cute things. They're in love!"

"Love? Garcia...really? Their kids are friends, they're friends. They're friends," Reid said.

"No, Reid," Penelope said. "JJ said she loves him. Have you not been here for the past ten years?"

"No, Garcia, I mind my own business," Reid said, making the woman punch him jokingly.

* * *

"Don't sit with me on the jet," JJ warned as she shouldered her bag. "And don't buy me Cheetos, either."

"Why would I buy you Cheetos?" Hotch asked. "The Redskins lost."

Jennifer rolled her eyes. "You buy me lunch every week and you always make sure to get Cheetos with it. Just don't buy me lunch."

"So, you want me to ignore you?" Hotch asked with a laugh. "That's going to be difficult."

"I could say the same for you," JJ said. "Just...don't say anything, okay? Not until we're...sorted out, you know?"

"Yeah," Hotch said. "See you in the briefing room."

JJ left her boss's office and closed the door behind her. She barely made it out to the bullpen when Penelope approached her.

"So, what's been going on with you two?" She asked.

Jennifer shrugged. "Not much."

"Not much?" She looked around the room in disbelief.

"We went to dinner and we got ice cream on the beach, and I brought the boys over for Sunday morning football," JJ said lightly as she began to unbutton her peabody coat.

"Dinner? The beach? Sunday morning football? Oh, sister, he has it in for you!"

JJ looked away. "Look, Pen, we're not dating. We just enjoy each other's company."

"You'd enjoy it a lot more if you had a band on your finger and that man in your bed, I know that much," Penelope said, causing JJ to raise her eyebrows.

"Would you keep it down?"

"Oh, they're gonna find out about it at some point. You can't deny that. You're in love, Buttercup. Enjoy it."

JJ blushed slightly. "We're not in love."

"Really? That's not what you said in Joe's on Friday."

"I was drunk on Friday night," JJ excused.

Penelope laughed. "Doll, you got one glass of vodka, and you didn't even finish it. That's not being drunk. You love him."

JJ shrugged. "And so what if I am?" She asked. "Can I just be in love?"

"I'm happy for you," Penelope told her friend as she put a hand on her shoulder. "You deserve it."

"We're ready to get started," Aaron said as he left his office and made his way to the briefing room.

JJ and Garcia parted ways. The former carried her things to her desk. She set her handbag down in the bottom drawer of the desk and drooped her black peabody coat over her chair. She pushed her hair off of her face and smiled at the thought of her boss. The pictures of her family on her desk caught her eye and she picked one of them up, the one of Henry holding Michael the day he was born.

"JJ?" Reid called from the conference room.

Jennifer put the picture back on the desk and smiled at her friend, as if to say she'd be there. She grabbed her ID card and clipped it onto the waistband of her black knee-length pencil skirt.

"You look fine," the man called from the railing.

JJ flattened her white blouse as she made her way to the briefing room. When she entered the room, the team's eyes turned to her.

"You're late," Penelope said jokingly.

"Let's get started," Hotch prompted as he and Jennifer exchanged glances.

"Okay," Garcia said, beginning the case presentation. "In Orlando, Florida, eight-year-old Oliver Murray was found dead in his family's residence on Friday evening. He appeared to be home alone; both of his parents and his older sister were out." She flicked to the next slide, which was a picture of the crime scene.

"Hotch, JJ, would you ever leave your kids alone?" Morgan asked. "Given their ages..?"

"No," Jennifer scoffed. "I could never."

"No," Aaron said with a shake of his head.

"Right," Penelope said. "And here's another family. Fourteen-year-old Nicole Greene was found dead by her mother in her bedroom last night. Like Oliver, she was home alone."

"Then this isn't a case of their ages," Rossi began. "Look, would you leave your fourteen year old daughter home alone?"

JJ shrugged. "Fourteen's a little young," she began, "but only for a short while. No longer than half an hour. But mine are little, so I don't know."

"Vulnerability?" Reid guessed. "Look at the way their bodies are positioned. Both are in the fetal position, which obviously indicates fear."

"Look at their necks," Morgan pointed out. "Both have cuts straight down their neck."

"Both are within five blocks from each other," Garcia told everyone. "Orlando police tell us nobody saw anything suspicious in those areas at the time."

"Alright, we can finish briefing on the plane," Hotch concluded as Garcia ended the presentation. "Wheels up in 30."


	7. Green

**A/N: This chapter is fairly crucial in terms of what's going to happen in the future. On the surface, it's just them with the boys, doing regular things, but deep down, it's some thing else and you will get to see some of their future obstacles.**

* * *

Aaron Hotchner thought he was alone with his thoughts. That was until he heard the footsteps of his co-worker coming down the aisle of the jet. He looked up from his unfinished paperwork and smiled at her.

"Hey," she whispered. "Everyone else is asleep, so I figured..."

"Sit," Hotch told her with a gesture.

When the blonde sat, she immediately eyed the paperwork he was doing.

"The Jets won...why are you doing paperwork?" She asked softly, pushing some hair out of her face.

"It's fine," Hotch told her. "Really. How was your day?"

JJ huffed and licked her lips in thought. "Tough case," she said.

"Yeah," Hotch said. "The ones with kids are always the hardest."

Jennifer nodded and pulled her knees up to her chest. "When we get back...are you staying at the office?"

"Most likely," Hotch said. "What about you?"

"No, I have to get home to the boys," JJ said. "Hey, are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

Hotch shrugged. "I don't think so, why? Do you wanna do something?"

"Kinda," JJ said. "Maybe with the boys? Sunday was really nice with you."

"It was," Aaron agreed. "Every bit of it. We could go to the park with the boys for the afternoon if you'd like."

"Tomorrow afternoon?" JJ asked.

Hotch nodded. "How's that sound?"

JJ laughed to herself. "It sounds good. I'll try and remember Michael's food this time."

The man laughed and leaned back, smiling at the woman across from him. "How did I get so lucky?"

* * *

It was 3 in the afternoon, and Aaron, Jennifer, and their boys had made their way out to Potomac park. They'd set up a picnic blanket and they'd brought a bunch of things that would keep the boys entertained.

"Are you alright?" Hotch asked as he watched Jack and Henry kick a soccer ball back and fourth. He turned to JJ, who was attempting to spoon baby food into Michael's mouth. "He doesn't look too happy."

JJ huffed. "He likes milk a lot more," she said. "But I can't be around as often as he needs it, so I think now is a good time to get him to start eating."

"Jack only went for 6 months, and Michael's...what, nearly 8 months? You've done well."

"Henry went for six and a half months," JJ commented. "I think, this time, I'm really appreciating the whole breastfeeding thing."

"Why's that?" Hotch asked, turning back to check on the boys.

JJ continued feeding Michael. "Because I don't think this is happening again."

Hotch's head whipped around to his friend. "You don't want any more kids?"

"I can't have any more kids," JJ said, watching Aaron's reaction; a frown.

"JJ..," he began, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jennifer said. "Why'd you think it took me so long to have Michael?"

Hotch shrugged. "I just thought...I just thought you were happy with Henry..."

"I was," JJ said softly. "I was happy with Henry, but I wanted to love another child, too. I wanted to experience it all over again, and then I found out I couldn't...right after...yeah."

"Right after what, JJ?"

"Nothing," JJ said. She couldn't tell him about her miscarriage. Not now. Not like this. He was having a nice time and she wasn't about to ruin it. "Right after everything that happened in Afghanistan, I took a long time to rethink everything. You see a lot out there, Hotch."

"Yeah," Hotch said cautiously, though he could tell by the tone of her voice that she wasn't telling the entirety of the truth.

"We should get the boys over here for some food," JJ suggested, quickly changing the topic. "Maybe we could go for a walk after."

"I would like that," Hotch said. "Jack! Henry! Come here, please!"

The boys ran over to their parents. Henry dropped his soccer ball on the blanket and bent down beside his mother, who had his brother in her lap.

"Did Michael drink his milk today?" He asked.

JJ nodded. "In the morning, he did, didn't he? But Michael's just had carrots."

"I don't like carrots," Henry said. "They taste weird."

"Okay," JJ said with a laugh. "Whatever you say, Henry."

* * *

After everyone had eaten, they decided to pack up and go for a walk around the large park. Jack and Henry were excited to see the ducks and the birds. Hotch had brought along a loaf of bread to feed them. Hotch and JJ walked side by side, with the latter pushing her youngest son in the stroller. Jack and Henry walked ahead of them, occasionally running over to look at the different sights. Michael cooed happily in the stroller, kicking his little legs every so often.

"Can you imagine living together?" JJ asked, watching Jack and Henry as they laughed and ran around up ahead. "With three boys?"

"Yeah," Hotch said casually, causing JJ to turn to him.

"That was quick," she said. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," Aaron replied. "I don't have to think about it. If you're there, I know that everything will go alright. It'll be wonderful."

"We've only been hanging out like this for three weeks," JJ said. "And we're already planning on living together. Are we out of our minds?"

"I have been at the happiest point in my life, these three weeks, JJ," Hotch told her as he caught a glimpse of her smiling face. "You make me happy."

"Yeah?" JJ said. "You make me happy, too."

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you liked this chapter! Please leave a review!**


	8. Distinct

**A/N: I have been talking about jotch all day ! I am so blessed.**

 **Also I got a question from my last chapter, asking something along the lines of: "if JJ found out she couldn't have kids, how did she have Michael?" And here is my answer:**

 **she found out she couldn't have anymore children and he was a complete surprise. In real life, AJ Cook, the actress who plays JJ went through this exact same situation. It's possible!**

 **Enjoy chapter 8!**

* * *

"Momma," Henry asked casually as he walked into the office, where his mother was working on her boss's paperwork. "Why do you and Jack's dad hang out so much?"

JJ dropped her black pen and turned to her seven-year-old.

"We're friends," she said.

Henry furrowed his brows. "Jack says you're in love."

JJ laughed. "Jack's silly. Aaron and I are just friends, just like you and Jack are."

"Well, me and Jack don't have twinkly eyes like you and his dad," Henry said. "And we don't go out for dinner like you and his dad, either."

"Do you like Jack's dad?" JJ asked.

Henry nodded. "Jack's dad is really nice. He cut my sausages up when he took me and Jack out for breakfast last week."

"That's really nice of him, isn't it?" JJ said. Her son nodded proudly. "Is it okay if Jack's dad and I spend time together?"

"Uh huh," Henry said. "I like having Jack over."

"You do?" JJ said. "That's good. They're coming over tomorrow night for dinner, and when we wake up, we're all going out for breakfast. Does that sound good?"

Henry cheered. "Yeah!"

* * *

The next evening rolled around quite quickly. Jennifer and Aaron had both made sure they didn't have work, so they could spend as much time as possible with their boys.

There was a knock at the door. Henry, dressed in his favourite dinner clothes, ran over and flung it open.

"Jack!" He exclaimed.

JJ, holding Michael, came up behind him and ran her hand through his hair. "Hey, Henry, don't answer the door unless you know who it is, yeah?"

"But it's Jack and Aaron!" Henry exclaimed.

"Alright, let them in," JJ said softly, ruffling Jack's hair as he stepped inside. Hotch greeted her with a smile and a shopping bag of things.

Right away, Henry and Jack ran off to play. JJ and Hotch went into the kitchen.

"How was your day?" JJ asked.

"Busy," Hotch said as he put the plastic bag down on the counter. "Hopefully we can just relax here. How was your day?"

JJ shrugged. "Honestly?" She said. "I fed Michael for half an hour this morning and napped. I am so exhausted."

"You're alright," Hotch said softly as he untied the bag.

"Alright, what the hell is in that thing?" JJ asked.

"Movies," Hotch told her. "And snacks for the boys. I also went and bought you some cheetos."

"Aww," JJ said with a smile. "Thank you, you're so sweet. You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did," Hotch said. "Okay, what are we making for dinner?"

JJ went over to the cupboards and opened them. "I was thinking spaghetti?"

"We're gonna have to call Dave," Hotch said with a laugh. "Aren't we?"

JJ winked at him. "I think we can make it work."

* * *

After dinner, both Jack and Henry changed into their pyjamas. They were now sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room with baby Michael. He was cooing and laughing as the boys played with him. Hotch and JJ were sitting on the couch together, watching one of the Batman movies Hotch had brought over.

"He looks hungry," JJ commented quietly, nudging the man beside her. "Look at him."

Hotch nodded and turned to her. "You wanna go...?"

JJ got up and went over and picked up her son. "Come here, Bubby," she said as she held him to her chest. She brought him over to the couch and sat down. "I'm fine here...if you're okay with that."

"Oh, no," Hotch said. "No problem at all."

The boys looked over at their parents and frowned. They'd just taken Michael away. Who were they going to play with now?

"Okay, dad," Jack announced as he stood up. "Me and Henry are going to Henry's room to play."

"Okay," Hotch said. JJ looked up from her baby and nodded.

"He is such a good eater, isn't he?" The woman said, stroking Michael's blonde hair back. "Never had a problem with him."

"Do you mind if I...?" Hotch said as he leaned over. He wasn't sure if Jennifer would appreciate him staring at the baby— or her breast.

JJ smiled and tipped Michael towards the man. "He's hungry," she said.

Hotch watched as Michael ate and he smiled at the little boy. "He looks like you," he said quietly. "He's got your eyes."

"You think?" JJ said in surprise.

"Yeah," Hotch said. "Big, beautiful, blue eyes."

Jennifer blushed and looked up at her boss. "His are still young," she said. "I hope to God he doesn't see the things we've seen."

Michael began to fuss and push his mother's breast away.

"He's obviously done," Hotch said with a laugh.

"Yeah, right," JJ scoffed. "Either he's tired, or his diaper's full."

"Do you know his cries?" Hotch asked.

Jennifer shook her head. "I don't have time to know his cries," she told him. "It's all this big guessing game for now."

"Right," Aaron said as JJ put her shirt down. "See what he's doing right now? Look at him. He's fidgeting about, so he probably wants to play."

The blonde took his suggestion and put Michael on the ground. Hotch sat down beside her and passed her some baby toys.

"Here, Bubby," JJ said, putting her hand on Michael's back to support him. "Look at this! It's a car!"

Michael squealed in excitement as he grabbed the little yellow plastic car from his mother.

"Yeah, Michael, a car!" Hotch exclaimed, turning to Jennifer. "He is definitely your son," he said. "Look at that smile."

JJ bit her lip as she studied her baby boy, who was pushing the car along the rug in the living room. "Yeah," she said gently. "That's my boy."

* * *

 **A/N: I highkey cried writing this... Please leave a review! I appreciate it!**


	9. Commitment

**A/N: Conflicts. Enjoy chapter 9!**

* * *

"Well, well, well," Penelope Garcia said as she watched Jennifer Jareau walk down the stairs with her son. "Look at you."

JJ smiled and adjusted Michael in her arms. "Do I look alright?"

"What kind of question is that?" Penelope said in belief. She walked towards her friend and took the baby out of her arms. "Of course you do."

JJ pushed her straightened hair back and flattened out her dress.

"My boobs look huge," she said with a frown.

"Princess, they look great. You're nursing a child, they're supposed to be huge, okay?" Penelope laughed. "They hold that dress up really well, though."

JJ bit her lip. "Thanks, Pen...look, are you sure you can do both boys tonight? You don't need me to get Kate or anything?"

"We're fine...aren't we, Henry?" Garcia called.

Henry, sitting in the living room on his video game, said, "yeah!"

Then came the knock they'd been waiting for. JJ's eyes widened and she checked herself in the mirror quickly.

"You look fine," Penelope said. She turned to Michael and stuck her finger out for him to hold. "You wanna say bye-bye to mama?"

Michael looked between his mother and his godmother. JJ went up to Michael and kissed him on his little nose before patting his hair down.

"Henry, come give me a kiss?" She called from the foyer. Henry dropped his remote and ran to his mother. She bent down and kissed him and ruffled his hair. She then grabbed her coat and slipped her favourite black pumps on.

She opened the door and a wide smile spread across her face.

"Hey," Aaron said with a grin.

JJ bit her lip and stared at him as she held onto the door. "Come in."

Hotch stepped in and greeted Henry, Penelope and Michael.

"Hi, Michael," he said softly as he put his finger out for him. "Hello."

Michael looked up at Aaron and smiled and grabbed his finger, making Penelope grin.

"Okay, Pen," JJ began as she got her coat on, "I have Michael's milk in the fridge. I made enough to last for tonight, but call me if you need anything at all. Henry should be fine, too...yeah?"

"Go and have a good time, Buttercup," Penelope said as she began to bounce Michael up and down. "We love you."

JJ grabbed her purse and followed Aaron out of the house. "Bye!"

"You look really nice," Hotch said as he opened the passenger door for JJ.

JJ blushed slightly. "Thank you," she said. "So do you."

* * *

"When will we have our first kiss?" JJ asked out of the blue.

Hotch blinked. "Um..."

"I'm sorry–" JJ began to say.

"Whenever you want to have it," the man responded as he played with his food. "When do you want to?"

JJ shrugged. "I want it to be special," she said with a smile. "I want it to be at night, a really nice night, with nice music and nice lighting."

"That sounds like a movie," Hotch told her.

"I like extravagant things," JJ said lightly. She stared at the candle between them and picked up her fork. "Don't you?"

"I do," Hotch said.

JJ broke into a smile. "So, our kiss? What about...anything further than that?"

Hotch furrowed his brows. "What are you saying?"

Jennifer lowered her voice. "Say we're watching a movie one night and we get sleepy. And say the mood is right and the kids are away...and we kiss...and one thing leads to another..."

"Oh," Hotch said as he looked down. "I haven't thought about it. What do you see it as?"

JJ picked up her wine glass and brought it to her lips. "It's a commitment to someone," she said. "I never saw it that way until what happened with Henry..."

"Yeah."

"What do you see it as?" JJ wondered.

"A commitment," Hotch said firmly. He didn't need time to consider. "You're making yourself vulnerable to another person...it's definitely a commitment."

JJ nodded. "When do you think we'll...?"

"When the time's right," Hotch said.

"Our wedding night," JJ said jokingly. "Of course...if we get married."

"Consummate the marriage," Hotch told her. "It's an idea. And...sleeping together...as in, the same bed...?"

JJ looked down. "No intimacy in bed until we're married," she said after a short moment of silence. "Unless...you..."

"No, I agree with you. Nothing further than sleeping together until we're married."

The pair ate and it was silent for a few moments until Hotch spoke again.

"You said you couldn't have any more kids..." He began as he looked into JJ's blue eyes. He watched her expression fall. "You still want more?"

She nodded softly, playing with her fingers. "I do," she said. "Do you?"

"I've told you before, haven't I?" He replied with a voice so gentle JJ could barely hear it.

The woman smiled and looked down. "Someday," she said. She swallowed thickly and looked up at Hotch. "Why do we always end up talking about this?"

"I'm sorry," Hotch told her. He seemed to be taken aback by it. "I'm sorry if I brought anything up..."

"It's alright," JJ said defeatedly. "This is all new to you—"

"New to me?"

"Haley couldn't have children either?"

Aaron shook his head and looked his colleague in the eye. "She could," he said slowly.

"Then this is new." JJ concluded.

And with that, the mood changed. Aaron spoke only when a question was asked, and when he had to instigate a conversation, he used small words and phrases. He didn't want to upset her, but he knew he'd already crossed a line. As for JJ, she could tell by his actions that he was uneasy. But she didn't care. She just wanted to be alone with her thoughts because this was everything and nothing and she now hated every minute of it.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review if you get the chance!**


	10. Resolution

**A/N: I like this chapter. Leave a review if you have any questions and otherwise, enjoy it!**

* * *

JJ and Hotch had gone almost 2 weeks without speaking. At work, they made eye contact, occasionally smiled, and sat beside each other on the plane. Jack had come over to play with Henry, and Henry had gone over to play with Jack, but nothing more came out of it. For a brief time, JJ and Hotch went back to how they used to be. They exchanged genuine smiles at the doorsteps of each other, and they called each other often about cases and professional affairs, but nothing further.

It was that way up until one night in mid-June, when the rain couldn't have poured harder on the small subdivision in the Palisades. A knock came at the door and Jennifer Jareau walked slowly down the staircase. She pushed her glasses up closer to her face and approached the door, wondering who it could possibly be. When she opened the door, the person she was least expecting stood before her with an idiotic look on his face, and oh God, she wished she could smack it.

"What?" She asked annoyedly as she rubbed her temple with her left hand. Her right hand sat on the door handle and she spun it every few seconds.

Aaron stumbled on his words as he tried willingly to form a sentence. Jennifer's eyebrows arched and her eyes rolled when a noise came from upstairs.

"You woke Michael," she said irritatedly. "Come in and wait here."

"I'm sorry," Aaron told her as he closed the door behind him. He watched the blonde go up the stairs to tend to her crying baby and he beat himself up inside for causing her such an inconvenience.

Upstairs, JJ entered the nursery, where Michael slept, approached his cot, and picked him up. She held him closely and quieted him down, hoping his loud cries wouldn't wake Henry, who slept across the hall. He settled a little, reducing his cries to quiet whimpers against the white material of his mother's t-shirt.

"Settle down, bubby," JJ said gently. She rubbed soothing circles on his back and occasionally looked at his little face. He'd settled, and he had closed his eyes. She put him down to sleep and left the room.

"Sorry about that," she said as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She pulled her shirt down a little, trying to get the hem of it to touch mid-way down her thighs, but it continued to hit just above that. She pursed her lips as she caught his eyes wandering.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," the man said. He rubbed his tired eyes and cracked his knuckles, making JJ shudder. It was bad enough that her eyesight was beginning to fade with age, but now it seemed as though her ears were following in suit.

"Why are you here?" She asked with a slight shake of her head.

"I came to apologize to you," he began. Jennifer's hand stopped him.

"You're here to get laid," she said with a hint of anger in her voice. "Aren't you? You're just lonely."

Aaron shook his head. "No..? JJ, I came to apologize. Listen, I was...no...I...I shouldn't have brought up what I brought up at dinner. You can't have any more children and that's something I'm really trying to come to terms with."

"What a dick," JJ said, pinching her temple. "God."

"JJ..." He leaned forward and his heart sank when he smelled it. "JJ...have you been drinking?"

JJ laughed. "Wow," she said. "I'm not mad at you. You just can't accept the fact that this is all new for you."

"Really?" Hotch said as he leaned back. "It isn't new for me. It's new for you, and, JJ, I think you're the one who can't accept that."

Jennifer sighed. "Why the hell are you here?"

"You're drinking," he told her. "Why are you drinking?"

"You're drinking," JJ shot back. "Look at you."

"I drove here," Aaron said. "I didn't drink."

JJ scoffed. "You wouldn't be the first person in my life to drink and drive."

"Aside from that," Hotch said. "I want to make this work, JJ. Whatever happened that night at dinner, can we just put it behind us?"

"I dunno," JJ said. "I don't want to say anything further because I don't want to regret anything—"

"Sleep it off, and when you wake up, call me and we'll talk," Aaron said. "I'll leave and let you sleep."

JJ half nodded. "You really wanna make this work?"

Hotch nodded. "Yeah. Tomorrow morning, nine, we go somewhere and talk this out...?"

"I'll have Michael," JJ said, folding her arms.

"Okay...?" Hotch said. "He isn't an obstacle."

"You clearly were never around Jack much when he was a baby, were you?"

"I was," Aaron said. "I just didn't think—"

JJ sighed loudly. "I'll get a babysitter. Happy?"

Hotch eyed JJ strangely. "Yeah..." He said as he stood up. "I'll let you sleep now...I'll go."

JJ stood up and followed him to the door.

"See you tomorrow," he told her softly. "Yeah?"

Jennifer, with the booze starting to wear off, smiled genuinely. "Yeah."

And with that, she closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Things would finally begin to mend themselves again.

* * *

When they met for pancakes at 10, JJ looked exhausted. Aaron could tell she wanted to use the excuse that she'd been up with Michael half the night, except she wasn't. She was hungover—slightly. At the pancake house, they had ordered a bounty of food, maybe enough to fill them for the entire day. Over this food, they talked...like adults.

"I don't want to start anything," Hotch began, causing JJ to raise her eyebrows. "But, were you drinking last night?"

JJ shrugged. "I'm allowed to drink, you know..."

"I know," Hotch said. "But, if there was something going on—"

"I'd come to you," JJ told him with a sincere smile. She zipped up her sweater and grabbed her coffee cup. "I know."

"Alright, we need to sort this out," Hotch said. He leaned forward in his seat and looked out the window. Turning away from the outdoors, he swallowed. "I am sorry for having trouble coming to terms with the fact that you can't have any more children. It wasn't appropriate of me at all."

JJ scoffed lightly. "Hm? That wasn't overreacting. Did you see me the day I found out? I was a mess. To this day, I still wonder what life would be like if I'd fulfilled my wish."

"Which is?"

"Four children," Jennifer said simply, biting her lip in thought as her eyes wandered to the window. "I never wanted kids until I had Henry. And when I had Henry, all I could think was, I want more. I want this four times over."

"There's adoption," Hotch offered. "Fostering—"

"As nice as that sounds," JJ said with a small wink, "it's the whole physical part...you know? You don't, but when you're pregnant, you get these immense feelings of hope and love, and it's one of the best feelings in the world, right next to holding that crying baby in your arms, holding a quiet funeral service in your head for your sanity."

"Oh," Hotch said as he held back laughter from JJ's last comment. "There's IVF, we could try."

JJ's eyes widened. "You think you're having a baby with me?" She asked. "And, I've already looked into it. It's thousands of dollars, and most of the time, on the first try, it doesn't happen, and I can't go broke in the state I'm in."

"You're in a great state," Hotch said.

JJ's head tilted from side to side, as if to say so-so. "You think _you're_ having a baby...with _me_?"

Hotch shrugged. "If this works."

"If what works?"

"Us," Hotch said simply. "If we work, and you still want a baby, whether you want to raise him or her with me, that's up to you...but if you want that baby, I can help you with that."

JJ smiled and looked down as her grip tightened around her coffee cup. She raised her head and looked out the window, squinting a little at the view of the rainy street.

"I would want you in the picture," she said. "Besides, a mix of you and I would be beautiful."

"Of course it would be," Hotch told her. "I mean..."

JJ realized he was gesturing to her and she grinned. "I get it."

"Huh?" Hotch shrugged. "You're making this kind of hard."

"Do you wanna make this work or not?" JJ asked.

"Yes!" Hotch said at once, causing JJ to laugh.

"Good, because so do I."

* * *

 **A/N: I am smiling. The next few chapters go into the depths of their relationship. They're still only really friends right now! Please review!**


	11. Temperamental

**A/N: Chapter 11 is here! Enjoy! I like this chapter and you'll get to see many more of these personal & funny moments throughout the story. **

* * *

After loading two backpacks and a baby seat into Aaron's SUV, JJ sighed.

"Need help?" He asked as he came up behind her. JJ shook her head and stepped back. She'd almost strapped her sleeping baby into his seat. If she made one wrong move, it was likely he'd cry or throw a small fit, but his fits weren't small. He had mighty lungs. Jack and Henry were already chatting away at the back of the car, going on about football like they usually did. Since they began spending more time together, their car rides and dinners had been a lot louder. JJ and Hotch sat at the front of the car, making small conversation every so often. JJ was caught in thought as she focused mainly on the outdoors.

"Boys, keep it down a bit," Hotch said calmly, keeping his eyes on the road. "Michael is sleeping." He turned to JJ, tapped her thigh, and said, "what's wrong?"

JJ shrugged as she turned to him. "Nothing. Why?"

"You usually talk to me on the way to school," he said.

"Tired," JJ said quietly. She leaned her head on the window. "Just tired."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"About what?"

"Why you're tired?"

JJ sighed. "I'm just tired, Aaron."

"Alright," Hotch said quietly as he focused back on the road. "But if you want to—"

"Pushy," JJ mumbled.

"What?"

"I said you're being pushy," JJ told him. "If I don't wanna talk about it—"

"I was just making sure you're o—"

"I'm on my period!" JJ exclaimed in anger.

The car went silent for a brief moment until Michael began to wake up. Looking in the rear view mirror, Hotch raised his eyebrows at the boys.

"A girl in my class has her period," Jack said. "Is that the same thing?"

"What's a period?" Asked Henry.

Hotch and JJ exchanged glances. The latter shook her head and pinched her temple.

"Why?" She mumbled.

"You've got the boys asking questions now," Hotch said with a grin, "which I'd suggest you answer—"

"Maybe if men were educated more, you'd be able to tell them yourself," JJ spat as she rolled her eyes.

"You also woke Michael," Hotch said softly, giving her an apologetic look, the first of many for that day.

Jennifer sighed and buried her face in her hands.

"You won't hear the end of this, and I mean it," she told him. "He's been down for one hour and twenty minutes. He needs at least another hour."

"You woke him," Hotch said, nearly bursting into laughter. The look she gave him could've killed, but it was though he'd saved himself from the blade.

"Dick," JJ said, hitting him on his arm.

"Stupid," Hotch told her through laughter.

"Those are bad words," Jack said.

"What's a period?" Came Henry's voice from the back again.

"I'll tell you when we get home, Henry," JJ said with a hint of irritancy in her voice.

"You have to deal with her," Jack said. "My dad and I don't have to deal with that."

JJ's eyes widened as she turned to Hotch. "What are you teaching him?" She hissed.

"Nothing," Aaron said. "Hey, Jack, that's enough now, yeah?"

"I just wanna know what it is!" Henry exclaimed. "Mommy, what's a period?"

JJ sighed. "I will tell you when we get home," she said firmly. "Please be quiet and do not wake your brother."

The car ride to school was quiet from then on. Jack and Henry exchanged whispers, giggled suspiciously multiple times, and had done exactly what their parents didn't want them to do. They'd woken up Michael twice, caused him to cry once, and nearly made JJ hop out of the car in anger. The ride to school was only around ten minutes long, but to JJ and Hotch, it proved to be longer.

Upon finally arriving at the school, JJ made sure Michael had fallen back asleep before taking him out of his chair and carrying him on her hip. The boys got their backpacks on and the five of them walked towards the school. Jack and Hotch separated like they usually did, and parted with a little kiss.

"I'm gonna go now," Henry said, letting go of JJ's hand when they reached the playground. He pushed his glasses up and looked at his mother.

"Wh–why? School doesn't start until nine," Jennifer said.

"Jack went off," Henry commented, watching the older boy meet up with his friends.

JJ and Hotch exchanged glances.

"Right, you can go," JJ said, leaning over. "But please be safe, okay?" She kissed him and he ran off to the playground.

"Where to for breakfast?" Aaron asked as the bell rang.

JJ's protective hand went right to Michael's ear and covered it so he wouldn't wake up. They began to walk back to the car together.

"I don't know," she said. "If Henry or Jack mention anything about—"

"They won't, they're kids. Look, Henry's only 7, he'll forget about it."

"Right," JJ said sceptically. "Anyway, where do you wanna go for food?"

"The pancake house on fifth?"

"That'll do."

* * *

Hotch couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she attempted to spoon feed her son. He laughed, which caused her baby to laugh, and it made JJ mad.

"Stop!" She exclaimed through laughter. "You're distracting him!"

"I'm distracted myself," Hotch said, but JJ dismissed his comment with a wave of her left hand.

"I should've ordered coffee," JJ said regretfully, putting the plastic spoon down. She started spinning her milkshake around on the table.

"Go and get some," he told her, putting money out of his wallet. JJ refused his money.

"I'm trying to cut back on coffee," she told him. "Just until I finish breastfeeding."

"Oh, well, alright," Aaron said. When it was quiet again, he asked, "how are you doing?"

"Well," JJ said. "What about y—"

"I meant...with your..." He began. "How is your body doing?"

"Ohh," JJ said, running her right hand over her lower stomach. "Working as it should."

"Are you in any pain at all?" He asked shyly.

"Yeah," JJ admitted. "I've had painful periods since Afghanistan."

"Do you want Tylenol?" Hotch asked. "I got some the other day when you said your stomach hurt."

"It never ends," JJ said, watching Michael as he started to doze off. "I'm good, I'm used to it."

"I can get it for you—"

JJ dismissed his words. "I'm fine! It's nothing."

"It isn't nothing if you're nearly in tears," Aaron replied. "Look at you."

"I'm fine," JJ told him.

And that was that.

When they left the pancake house, Hotch brought JJ home and they put Michael down in his nursery to sleep. Hotch then began to run a bath for JJ, in hopes of her feeling better. He was standing in the middle of her bathroom, where he never thought he'd ever stand. He looked through the small variety of bath salts and bubble baths she had and he sighed.

"JJ?" He called quietly as she was in the next room.

"Hm?" JJ replied as she walked in to the bathroom. She smiled when she saw he'd began running a bath. "Oh, you didn't have to."

"I wanted you to feel better," he said shyly. "Uh, which salt or bath do you like best? I figured you'd like the peppermint one, but you've used more of your jasmine one."

JJ giggled. "There's an orchid one back there," she said. "I use that when I'm cramping."

Hotch picked it up. It was a purple bottle with a white flower on it. He looked at it and began to pour the bubble bath into the running water.

"Do you need anything else? I can get you food—"

JJ looked down and covered her stomach with her arms. "I'm alright for now," she said. "But, do you mind staying a while? I like having you here."

* * *

He had given her a massage in the bathtub. If he was being honest, her soaked shoulders felt like heaven in his hands. She kept on smiling. He could see her face in the mirror across from him and occasionally she rested her head on his working hands. She lifted her legs out of the water every so often, but her hands never left her aching stomach.

"Tell me something, JJ," Aaron began. JJ looked up and smiled in comfort.

"Hm?"

"What makes you happy?"

JJ looked down. Her lips twitched and she broke into a little smile. She looked up again and sighed.

"You," she told him in confidence.

Hotch was taken aback. He looked at her and his fingers released themselves from her skin. He flattened his lips.

"Really?" He asked in disbelief. "Me?"

"Do you not feel the same way?" JJ asked, finally taking her hands off of her stomach. She picked up a net sponge and ran it down her legs.

"Do you want me to do that for you?" Hotch asked her as he pulled his sweater off. Jennifer watched him and admired his figure in the black v-neck he was wearing. She could tell he'd been working out. "And...yeah," he said, responding to what JJ had asked earlier. "I do feel the same way."

Aaron grabbed the net sponge from JJ and started to wash her legs. He made sure to do it gently and every few seconds, she winced, making him worry.

"Jen?"

Hearing a nickname she hadn't been called in years, her eyes sprung open and her face lit up.

"Hm?"

"You're bleeding," he told her. "I know you're menstruating, I do, but are you in more pain than you're letting off?"

JJ looked down, relieved to only see blood in the water. By his tone, she thought he was hinting to something gory. The first thing she thought of was her miscarriage, and how she spent a week going in and out of a bathtub, trying to rid herself of that child.

"JJ?"

"Jen's fine, it's only a nickname," JJ said, failing to leave her trance of thought.

"What?"

"Sorry."

Hotch dropped the net sponge and moved closer to the blonde. She eventually looked up at him.

"Sorry," she said. "I still get flashbacks."

Aaron ignored what she said.

"Are you in pain?" He asked.

Jennifer nodded, her hands both reaching back into the water. They found her stomach once more and rested.

"I told you," she said quietly, "since Afghanistan, my periods have been unbearable."

Aaron frowned. "Is there not anything you can do about this?"

JJ shook her head. "Not really. I mean, there's medications, but those stop it completely...and I still want to have hope..."

"Hope?"

"For another baby," JJ said. She swallowed thickly and looked down. "Can you get my towel for me, please?"

Hotch nodded and got to his feet. JJ had a few coloured towels in her bathroom. Folded neatly on a little shelf were Henry's and Michael's towels, along with face cloths and flannels. Under the stacks sat JJ's towels. They were brown and soft and felt a lot like she did; gentle. He held her towel out for her and began to help her out of the bath. She stood up fine and stepped out of the tub. She walked right into the towel and he wrapped it around her. Hotch moved JJ to the side of him and he bent down and opened one of the cabinets in her bathroom.

"You're running out of tampons," he told her. "Where did you buy these?"

JJ shrugged. "Walgreens..?"

"Alright. You've got two left, and I doubt they'll last you today. How often do you change them, anyway?"

"Every four hours," JJ told him. "But the time frame goes between four and eight hours. I just fill them up quickly."

Hotch grabbed a tampon and handed it to JJ. She smiled appreciatively.

"I'll let you do this," he told her. "Call me if you need anything. I'll be back in a bit, yeah?"

JJ smiled and looked down at the soaking floor.

"I'll clean that when I get back."

"It's just water," JJ said. "Don't worry."

"Alright, I'll be back," Hotch said.

"Thank you!" JJ said sincerely. She smiled and leaned against the door frame, thanking God for making her the happiest girl alive.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you for reading! Have a lovely day/night :) xo**

 **— Aoife**


	12. Storm

**Chapter 12 :)**

* * *

When Hotch returned from the store, he went right to JJ's bedroom, where she was sat on the edge of the bed, nursing Michael. He walked in quietly, placed a shopping bag on her table, and closed the door behind him.

"Our bodies do a lot at once, hey?" JJ said with a smile as she looked up at him.

Aaron nodded, watching Michael's cheeks move as he drank from his mother's breast.

"I got you a few things," he told her. "It's mostly food."

JJ smiled at him. She seemed unable to stop smiling when she was around him.

"You didn't have to," she told him. "But thank you."

"'s he doing okay?"

JJ grinned at her baby boy and rubbed his back. "He would've gotten solid food had I not been topless right now."

"Look at him go," Hotch said. "Gorgeous, he is."

"He is gorgeous," JJ said, feeling Michael disconnect himself from her. His little chubby hands hit her chest and she winced.

"Everything hurts?" Hotch asked.

JJ nodded and began to laugh. "Everything." She moved Michael and put him over her shoulder, where she patted his back.

"What clothes do you want?" Hotch asked her as he walked over to her closet. "Do you mind if I...?"

"Go ahead," JJ told him. "I usually wear sweatpants and a big t-shirt, anyway. There's nothing much in there to see."

Hotch laughed at her comment. "Alright." He flicked through all of JJ's pencil skirts and black dress pants. She had a lot of work clothes, but not so many regular outfits. She mostly had sweatpants and large t-shirts. He'd seen her wear them on cases that required them to stay in hotels in other states. She looked quite comfortable, very soft and gentle. He always felt this calmness around her.

"You can just get that white shirt," JJ said as she stroked Michael's hair back out of his face. "And those burgundy sweatpants right there."

Hotch grabbed the items JJ mentioned and brought them over to her. He took Michael from her arms and started to cuddle him as he was getting fussy.

"I'll go if you want," He told her as she stood up, clothes in hand.

"I'm only changing," JJ said.

"It's just—"

"What? Me standing here in front of you, naked? I'm a mom, Hotch, I don't care anymore."

Hotch chuckled to himself and put his hand on the back of Michael's head.

"You deserve privacy. I'll be back," he said. "We're just getting Michael a toy."

JJ nodded and grinned. "You know, it only takes a minute. It's really no big deal!" By this time, she'd put on her sweatpants, and her shirt was halfway off.

"We're fine!" Hotch called as he made his way down the hall.

* * *

Jack and Henry were equally surprised to learn that their parents were hanging out with each other again. Jack knew something was up, but Henry seemed oblivious to it. Hotch was so friendly around Michael, and that was part of why Jack found it odd. He didn't think people acted like dad's to other people's kids. Aside from that, he kept on telling Henry that their parents were dating and they would have to accept the fact that they would one day live together. Of course, Jack hadn't scraped twelve yet, and, well, he could dream.

They walked down the hallway together, towards JJ's room. It was quiet, and both boys wondered where Hotch was. Michael was sleeping in the nursery, and Hotch's car was on the driveway. Henry took the lead, given it was his house, and he grabbed the handle on the door to his mother's bedroom.

"What if they're having sex?" Jack whispered with a giggle. "What if they're naked in there?"

"Ew!" Henry hissed, twisting the knob. At once, he applied force on the door and it opened.

Both boys barged in and were quite surprised to find their parents laying together on the bed.

"Dad?"

"Mom?"

"Shh," Hotch said as he rubbed Jennifer's back. "She's sleeping."

"Why is mommy sleeping?" Henry asked.

Aaron continued to rub JJ's back. Occasionally, he stroked her hair back and pulled her blanket up to her chin. She was curled up on her left side, her head resting in Aaron's lap.

"She doesn't feel very well."

"Why?" Henry asked, now rather upset that his mother was somewhat sick.

Jack and Hotch exchanged looks.

"Henry," Hotch began.

"Yeah?" Henry said worriedly.

"You know why your mom was tired in the car this morning?"

Henry shook his head.

"Okay, well, she's going through something called a period—"

"That thing I told you about," Jack said, receiving a glare from his father. "The thing with the blood..."

"Oh no!" Henry cried dramatically. "She's bleeding? I don't see any blood!"

Hotch looked down at JJ and pulled the white knitted blanket up over her shoulders.

"Henry," Hotch said firmly. "You're seven now, and you're a big boy, so I'm going to tell you this like I told it to Jack. Your mom's body is different from our bodies. Every few weeks, she bleeds because it's her body getting rid of tissues it no longer needs, and when she bleeds, she feels very sick and she's in a lot of pain."

"But there's no blood," Henry said, letting Aaron's previous words fly over his head. "Where is she bleeding?"

Jack snickered.

"From her vagina," Hotch said, causing Jack to snicker even more. "Come on, Jack. You're nearly twelve."

"I don't like when she's sick," Henry said, ignoring what Hotch had just said. "Is that why she sometimes cries on the couch?"

"I don't know," Hotch said. Deep down, what Henry had just said caused a pit to form in his stomach. He hoped she cried on the couch in pain and not anything else. He stroked her hair.

"She's just sleeping now," he said. "Um, Jack?" He was rather hesitant to ask his next question.

"Yeah?" Jack responded, leaning on the foot of the bed.

"In an hour, we're gonna go home and grab our stuff—"

"Are we sleeping over?" Jack asked excitedly.

Hotch gave a slight nod. "I want to stay with JJ for tonight, just because she's in pain and I don't wanna leave her..."

"Or you're having sex," Jack said. "My friend Owen said all boyfriends and girlfriends have sex, and his sister has a boyfriend and they always have sex."

"We're not boyfriend and girlfriend," Hotch said. "You can love somebody without them being your boyfriend or girlfriend."

"You love her?" Henry asked.

Hotch looked down at JJ and admired her pure features, the soft sounds she made while moving slightly. Her hair kept on falling in her face, and he was rather tempted to braid it back out of her way.

"I love her," Aaron said. "I do...I love her...as a friend." As much as it was a constant thought in his mind, it was a burden he wasn't willing to bear. Loving her was inevitable. He loved her like the moon loved the stars, but he knew wasn't ready to become the night sky.

* * *

Hotch had made dinner for the boys and he'd even gotten them ready for bed. He wasn't sure what to do with Michael, as he knew that though JJ was in the process of introducing him to solid foods, he breastfed at night and in the morning. He ended up getting lucky and finding some milk that JJ had made and stored in the fridge. He quickly got Michael to drink, and then he played with him, and then he put him to sleep. Michael had been rather tired all day, too, and he was beginning to get over his colic.

"Aaron?"

Hotch would've gone downstairs had he not heard her voice.

"Aaron?"

The man went down the hallway and into JJ's bedroom, where she had woken up. She was sitting up in bed, wiping some sweat off of her forehead.

"Hey," Hotch said softly as he walked over to the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed and moved her blanket away. "You alright?"

JJ sighed. "Not really, but better," she said. "What time is it?"

"Nine," Aaron said. "The boys are in bed and there's food downstairs if you're hungry. It's just alfredo."

Jennifer smiled. "'s there enough left for both of us?"

"Think so," Aaron said, admiring her sleepy smile.

She climbed out of bed slowly and fixed herself. Her hair was mess and her stomach was aching terribly, but she was considerably better than before.

The pair went downstairs into the kitchen and Hotch started to prepare some food for them both. JJ sat at the kitchen counter and put her head down.

"You alright?" Hotch asked as he began heating up two bowls of pasta.

"Headache," JJ mumbled into the counter.

"H...huh? Oh—headache?"

"Mm."

Hotch went over to the medicine box that sat on top of JJ's fridge and pulled out a bottle of Advil. He poured two small capsules onto his right hand and put the bottle away. He poured JJ a glass of water to wash them down and he placed the contents in front of her.

"Thanks," she said gently, taking the pills and downing them in one go.

"Sorry you hurt so badly," Aaron said. "You don't deserve any pain."

"We're on this earth, of course we do," JJ said sleepily. She yawned and picked up her glass of water.

Afterwards, Aaron and Jennifer sat together in the quiet, dark kitchen, eating. It was just them two, alone and hopelessly in love. It was like the tide had went in and out and carried them away, for they could only see the sun, and not the storm that was approaching.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed chapter 12!**


	13. Plight

**Chapter 13! x**

* * *

Two months had flown by. What was once summer is now autumn, and everything was new again. Michael had turned one a month back, and JJ had Hotch and the rest of the team over to celebrate. JJ had almost kissed Hotch, but she stopped herself and told him she'd kiss him one day. Michael was beginning to talk now; his babbles had turned into the beginnings of words, and each one made JJ swoon. She knew he would say "mama" first. She'd finished breastfeeding at the end of July, and it made her quite upset, for she knew she would never experience such a joy again. She mostly consoled herself through movies and food, but even then, it wasn't enough. Currently, she sat on the couch, trying to get some rest. Michael had luckily fallen asleep just minutes before, and Henry was at school. JJ was wearing a white fluffy bathrobe and her hair was up in a bun. She felt extremely comfortable. And then the phone rang, and she knew just who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hello, ma'am, is this Jennifer Jareau?"

"This is she."

"We're just calling back to confirm your appointment—"

"Tomorrow at noon," JJ said quickly.

"And you said you're unsure about that...?"

"I may or may not be called in to work, so I can't be certain."

"Alright, we'll keep your appointment for tomorrow at twelve, yes?"

"That'll do," JJ said with a smile.

"Okay, ma'am, we'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye."

With that, JJ put the phone down and stared at the wall in thought. Perhaps this appointment would get her the answers she needed.

* * *

The next morning, Hotch had been wanting to know what was taking up her mid-day slot. She'd told him she was going grocery shopping, but that meant she'd be taking Henry and Michael, and she was dropping them off at Kate's for a few hours. Hotch knew JJ hated pressure, so he stopped asking her where she was going, and he focused on himself. He remained rather sceptical of JJ's whereabouts, for she had been acting rather strange lately.

JJ had dropped the boys off at Kate's and made her way downtown, to her OB's office. She hated that place, she really did. She envied the women who walked out with their spouses, giddy and pregnant and all. She was alone and unable to do what her body was made to do. She was failing.

She sat down in the waiting room after signing in, and she watched what went on. There were pregnant women sitting across from her, endorsing themselves in magazines and pamphlets about pregnancy and birth. ClearBlue advertisements played on the tv screen above them, and to Jennifer's left sat some other women. She couldn't tell if they were pregnant or not. They probably were—not everybody had failed as much as she had.

"Jennifer Jareau?"

Some women looked at her when she stood up and grabbed her purse. She could feel their eyes scanning her body and she felt horrible. Her heart pounded against her chest and she clutched her purse with slight anger. Once in the office, she calmed herself a little and sat down on the other side of the desk that was set up.

"How are you today?" JJ's OB asked. They'd been good friends for a while, as this lady, Dr. Adams had gone through her first pregnancy at the time JJ was going through hers.

JJ sighed. "Anxious," she said. "I can't get through periods anymore. The pain is too much to bare sometimes, and I don't want to miss out on my life in weeks at a time."

Dr. Adams nodded and gave JJ a reassuring smile. "Jennifer, look, you know you are unable to conceive any more children—"

JJ nodded and her eyes began to well up. Dr. Adams handed her a tissue across the table.

"JJ," her doctor started. "What brings you here today?"

"I just don't understand. Why can't I have children?"

Dr. Adams sighed and looked down at Jennifer's file. She picked up a pen, pulled the cap off, and circled a text box on a list. She then spun the file around so that JJ could read it.

Her eyes widened.

"A h..hysterectomy?" She asked as her voice broke. "You want me to...no...no!"

"JJ," Dr. Adams said calmly as the blonde across from her began to cry. "JJ, it's the only thing that will stop the pain for good."

"I want a child," JJ said quietly.

"There's adoption," Dr. Adams tried to list. "Fostering—"

JJ shook her head and grabbed a tissue from the box that sat on the desk in front of her.

"Do you want to conceive a child?" Dr. Adams asked softly. Jennifer nodded and clenched the tissue tightly. The doctor looked down at JJ's file again and drew her pen down the list.

"There's medication, isn't there?" JJ asked hopefully.

Dr. Adams nodded. "Medication is available, yes," she said. "But it doesn't eliminate painful menstruation."

"That's fine," JJ told her. "Whatever works." She was sniffling now, and her breathing had become heavier. Dr. Adams could tell JJ wasn't herself.

"You're letting your emotions get in the way of your judgement. You can't choose having a child over a medical procedure, you just can't, Jennifer. The want to have a child is...is overwhelming, and I don't think you're considering the possible consequences."

"Consequences...?"

"You're desperate to have a child—"

"I'm not desperate," JJ said firmly. "I just want answers. I can't keep going on like this...for four years now I've been killing myself over this, and I just want to know...what's wrong with me?"

Dr. Adams looked at JJ and sighed. "It's a condition known as secondary dysmenorrhea. You haven't always had pain during menstruation, have you?"

JJ shook her head. "No, it only began after my miscarriage in Afghanistan, and I told you...there was an explosion..."

"Without further testing, the most we can conclude is that perhaps your fallopian tubes are injured...but as I said...you would have to consent to further testing if you want to find out the deeper reason for this and perhaps come to a conclusion."

"What do you think it is?" JJ asked.

"An injury or a simple bout of infertility. It happens to a lot of women, Jennifer, trust me."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Holly, I know what you're saying—"

"Then, please listen to me."

* * *

Dinner that evening consisted of Jennifer and Aaron exchanging odd looks across the table. It was Sunday evening, meaning Hotch and Jack came over to spend the night. Jennifer usually didn't mind when they spent the night, as it consisted of games and jokes and all sorts of food. Tonight, however, was different. After the day she'd just had, she wanted to just go to bed and sleep forever.

"You alright?" Hotch asked. Jack and Henry stopped talking and looked over at their parents.

JJ nodded and pushed some broccoli around her plate with her fork. She turned to Michael and picked up a plastic knife and began mashing his potatoes.

"'m'fine," she said quietly.

"She had a doctors appointment today," Henry said.

Hotch raised his right eyebrow slightly. "Really?" He asked, as though he were interested in what Henry had to say.

"Yeah, it was nothing," JJ said, turning back to her own plate.

"But you said your belly was hurting again," Henry said. "You said—"

"Henry," JJ said firmly, glaring at him. "That's none of their business, you hear me?"

Henry nodded and shrugged it off when Jack began to change the subject. As he had matured, he began noticing when to filter out tense situations.

After dinner, JJ had gotten Michael down to sleep, Henry ready for bed, and the kitchen cleaned up. Hotch had sent Jack off to get ready for bed, also, leaving them both downstairs.

"Why were you so uneasy at dinner? Is everything alright?" He asked as he sat down on the couch beside JJ.

Jennifer shrugged and pulled a baby blue blanket over the couch and covered herself with it. "Everything's fine."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just, Henry's really good at running his mouth, isn't he?"

Hotch shrugged. "He's nearly eight. I don't think he understands what that means."

"Hm," JJ said to herself. "D'you know if Jack ever said stupid things to Haley?"

Hotch nodded. "Of course...he was young. Look, obviously something's bothering you, and when you want to talk about it—"

"I went to an OB," JJ said quietly. Hotch went silent. His face searched hers and attempted to read it.

"You went—"

"And I think I want a hysterectomy."

Hotch's gut dropped and he looked down. He studied his hands and picked at them, trying to register what she was saying.

"Like, a...real hysterectomy? You want to remove—" he looked down and ran his hands along his thighs. "...why?"

"The pain is too much to bear," JJ told him. "I don't need my uterus anyway," she added with a slight laugh. Her right hand went straight to her horseshoe necklace and clasped it tightly.

Hotch swallowed thickly, biting his tongue as he battled with his words.

"And...you're sure...?" He asked softly.

JJ nodded. "Pretty. Look, don't get offended or anything—"

"I'm not," Hotch said, cutting in to JJ's dialogue. "It's just...this affects our future as...whatever we are."

"But it's my body," JJ said. "It's mine—"

"It is yours, but what you do...it-it affects others. I mean, you can do what you want, but ultimately, there are...consequences. It's part of the deal you make."

JJ rolled her eyes. "How does this affect you?"

Hotch was quick to shoot back. "We want to have a baby at some point...and now that can't happen."

"I'm in pain," JJ said. "Look, I know I'm being selfish, but—"

"But what, Jennifer?"

"You're not in this for another child, are you?"

Hotch furrowed his brows and wiped the sweat beads that were forming on his forehead.

"Of course not," Hotch said. "But everything I do affects you, and everything you do affects me. That happens when you're in a relationship."

"I get that, but...I'm putting myself in front..."

"Yeah, but I hope you're considering the boys and me while you're doing that."

JJ sighed. "It's an expensive and invasive procedure...Aaron, it isn't for sure."

"No, but I want to be around when you make this decision...for support...you know?"

"Hm," JJ said to herself. "I'm capable of making decisions on my own."

* * *

 **I hope you liked this chapter! What do you think of this new situation?**


	14. Requite

**Chapter 14 ! This made me cry.**

* * *

 _What are you thinking? How are you feeling? Why won't you tell me? You do this thing—you close people off. You're walking backwards, and one day, there isn't going to be anything left to walk into. I don't know. It's silly of me to put so much time into thinking about you this way. I want to stop, but you're too...I don't know. See, I'm doing it again. Sorry._

* * *

"It's me...I'm...just calling to check in on you. I know I've called you three times already today, but I know you're there, and I want you to...to know I'm there. Alright. Talk to you later."

Jennifer listened to every voicemail he had left that morning. She'd kept every one of them, and she was considering calling him back at some point. She wanted to tell him how sorry she was for the past few days. In their relationship, if there were a child, she were it. She was the one who cut off contact for days at a time, who seemed to cause every ounce of drama there ever was. Maybe she was the child she couldn't conceive.

"You should probably answer him," Henry'd told her that evening at dinner. He mostly picked at his food, and JJ had noticed.

"Everyone has things they have to deal with," Jennifer replied to her son. She cut Michael's food up and made sure he was settled. "What's going on with you?"

Henry shrugged. "Nothing," he said. He wasn't a very good actor—he had turned eight a few days ago, and third grade had just begun. To think that something was already bothering him spoke to JJ. Her son was never one to cause or uphold dramatic events within his group of friends.

"School...?" JJ guessed. "You can tell me, Henry."

"Really," Henry said. "It doesn't bother me anymore."

Jennifer rolled her eyes as she focused on feeding Michael. "Okay, whenever you're ready to tell me, you know I'm here."

Henry nodded in both relief and understanding, and then he decided to change the subject. He'd gotten good at this lately—he probably learned from Jack.

"Why aren't you and Jack's dad together anymore?" He asked suddenly.

JJ's head came around quickly to her eldest son's figure. She stared at him rather blankly, her mind scrambling to piece words and phrases together.

"We are," she blurted out. "We're just busy."

"I would have believed that if I was five," said Henry sternly. "But I'm eight now."

"You don't believe me?" JJ said, withdrawing slightly. This was the first time her son had ever truly intellectually challenged her, and she was rather terrified. But of what?

Henry shook his head. "You're not busy. You don't even go to work anymore."

"I'm on a break," JJ said. "So I can spend more time with you and Michael."

Henry raised his eyebrows. "But I'm at school."

"I like waking you up and getting you ready, Henry. And when you're gone, I get to play with Michael."

"You spend a lot of time with Michael," Henry then said, which made JJ begin to believe that maybe Henry wasn't having problems at school. She sighed and didn't say anything more. Her son's mind was becoming more complex by the passing days and nights, and it was getting harder to connect with him the way she used to.

"So, that's what this is about," said JJ as she cut into her food. She hadn't eaten much, mostly because she was invested in Michael and his food. If she could go back to breastfeeding right now, she would. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is the best thing to do. Sometimes, it helps you grow. JJ could tell you that.

"What's what about?" Henry asked, turning to his mother.

"Why you're upset," JJ replied. "Why you're acting out."

Henry shrugged. "All I said was, you're spending lots of time with Michael—"

"...and not you," JJ said. "I get it, Henry."

Henry stayed silent and fiddled with his food. JJ knew she had somehow reached the root of his attitude. It's funny, the root of a problem will always grow into a tree of problems when you neglect it, but the trees without problems must be nurtured and watered and cared for.

* * *

"Just me again. I'm just wondering if...if you're okay? I'm—"

JJ picked up her phone and held it to her ear. "Hey."

"Jen? JJ?"

"This is her," JJ said softly.

"I know...I just haven't heard your voice in a while. It's you."

JJ smiled inside and leaned back in the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery. She made a small sighing noise and breathed in deeply.

"How are you?" Hotch asked shyly, trying not to overstep her boundaries. He knew she got overwhelmed quickly.

"...Fine," JJ said. "I'm getting Michael to sleep. He's going through crying fits again, so..."

"That's not good," Hotch commented. "Tell the boys hey for me, will you? Jack misses them."

"...I miss you," JJ said suddenly.

Hotch went silent for a brief moment. He replied, "I miss you, too," and he waited for JJ to say something. When she didn't, he said, "well, I was just calling...I'm wondering if you're still wanting to go to work together tomorrow?"

"Yeah," JJ said. "I am. We're still taking the boys to school...?"

"I'll be at your house at eight thirty tomorrow morning," Hotch said. JJ pulled Michael closer to her and stroked his hair with her left hand.

"Sounds alright," JJ said softly, rubbing her cheek against her son's.

"'s he asleep?" Hotch asked.

JJ smiled. "Think so," she said. "I think he's sick...he's running a bit of a fever...poor boy."

"Let him sleep with a damp washcloth on his forehead...it'll bring his temperature down," Hotch suggested. "Worked with Jack every time."

"I've never done that," JJ said. "Thank you."

They could've talked all afternoon, except JJ was about to fall asleep, and Hotch had errands he needed to tend to. And so they left their words in the atmosphere, mingling with the calm air.

* * *

The next morning, JJ and Hotch took their boys to school. Like most mornings, they carpooled. The boys got to school together, and so did their parents. Hotch and JJ had hugged when they saw each other, and it made Jack and Henry think that perhaps things were moving faster than they thought. To them, hugging meant they were really close. It would be no surprise if they walked in to Hotch on one knee, proposing to JJ. Both parents had said their goodbyes to their kids and let them go. They wouldn't have time to stop for breakfast, so they decided to find something at work. There was always something at work.

"What do you think this meeting will be about?" JJ asked, leaning on the window. Her hands rested on her thighs. She was wearing a black dress that went just past her knees. The top of the dress was rather moderate, but overall, it was a nice piece and it showcased her body beautifully.

Hotch shrugged, focusing on the road with each sign that passed. "I think it's about budget cuts...maybe," he said.

"Budget cuts?" JJ asked. "You know what happened last time we had a budget cut...right?"

"Uh-huh," Hotch said. "I remember everything. I remember the amount of times I went to Strauss and complained—"

"How many?" JJ asked. "I'm curious."

"Sixteen times in four months...JJ I never stopped asking her. Eventually, I brought up the fact that...Afghanistan perhaps wasn't the best place for you to be. I felt you were unsafe."

JJ raised an eyebrow.

"It was a gut feeling, Jen...nifer. JJ, I knew your transfer was a backstop, but...nobody else did. So I spent every day not only worrying about your job being filled, but about your safety. I've been out there...it's brutal. Not even my badge made me feel safe."

JJ nodded in understanding. The drive went by quickly, and they spent most of it talking and catching up over the weekend. They arrived at work and realized they had to stop exchanging loving looks. JJ and Hotch got out of the car and locked it up and went up to the doors. They scanned their cards and went inside. Before you got into the elevator, you had to walk through the main hall where guests and other people signed in. There were water fountains, many offices, and a lot of agents walking around. Contrary to what everybody thought, the agents were always laughing or conversing in the hallways. Hotch and JJ went up to the elevator doors and pressed '6' and waited for them to open. When they opened, they stepped inside and stood there, looking at each other.

"I can't wait until we don't have to hide this anymore," JJ said. "When...when do we stop hiding this?"

Hotch shrugged. "I think the time will just come around. They'll find out sooner or later, won't they?"

JJ cocked an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Garcia...knows...Reid, maybe...Rossi's onto us...has Emily called you lately? Does she know?"

"Maybe," she said. "I talked to her yesterday...and she wanted to know about the boys. I said they were fine, and she asked if there was anyone, and I told her yes, and then she said she could probably guess who it is...but she didn't want to make a wrong guess and overstep, so she stayed quiet."

Hotch chuckled to himself. "Really interesting," he said. "Bet that call lasted an hour and a bit."

"Three, actually," JJ said. "You'll be surprised what you can get done when you get your baby to sleep for once."

"Yeah," Hotch said. "Definitely. Jack was...not a sleeper...but when he went down, it felt good—"

"Hey," JJ said suddenly. "I don't want you to feel like you can't talk to me about certain things, so...so, it's okay if you bring up...kids with me...okay? On the drive home, I'll tell you where I was...the other day...and we'll go from there, yeah?"

"Yeah."

The elevator doors opened, and both parents stepped out and crossed the hallway, into the bullpen. They looked across the room and saw that the team was already in the briefing room.

"We aren't late," JJ said, looking down at her watch. She started to take her woollen cardigan off. "See you in there." They went separate ways; JJ to her desk to get her things, and Hotch to his office to get his things.

Jennifer clipped her ID card onto her waistband and grabbed her files and documents. She was supposed to aid in briefing a case today, but she had a feeling that it could wait a while. She tucked her chair in and set off to the briefing room.

* * *

Autumn came and soon the September streets had changed into October lanes filled with leaves and scrapings of a summer just gone. Halloween was only a week away now, and with the weather getting colder, Jennifer found herself sleeping in more and spending more time curled up in blankets. It really wasn't healthy, considering she enjoyed evening runs in the dying sun and going to the park with her boys to relish in the warmth each day brought. She thought she had depression, but only for a short while. Rosaline had depression, and it scared her to think that perhaps she was following in her older sister's footsteps. Hotch had been by more and more now, and Jack and Henry had gotten used to having sleepovers on school nights. A lot can change in a month. Life starts all over again when the leaves fall and establish the earth for new beginnings.

"Won't be long now," Hotch said to JJ as he walked Michael across the living room. Michael had been walking for a few months now, and he wasn't great at it, but Hotch hoped that if he learned soccer, perhaps his coordination skills would follow in suit.

"What won't be long?" JJ asked as she walked over to her colleague with two coffee cups in hand. Both adults sat down on the couch and JJ rested her head on Hotch's chest.

Hotch grinned. "Not long now until he starts talking in sentences. Has he done it yet?"

"Ehh, he says a few words...he's getting there—"

"Mom!" Henry called as he and Jack raced down the stairs. "Mom—"

"Hey, no running down the stairs," JJ said. "Henry, you know better than that."

Ignoring what his mother said, Henry continued, "me and Jack are going to play with Jeremy and Liam down the road!"

"Be safe!" Hotch called, but the boys had already run out the door.

"I always thought raising boys would be easy," JJ said after the door closed.

Hotch chuckled. "I thought it was the same with girls. The teen years are the worst."

"Yeah?" JJ said. "You think? Are you scared...for the boys?"

"No, 'cause I know Jack and Henry are good boys, and I know they'll make us proud. Same goes for Michael."

JJ grinned and pulled Michael up onto her lap. She held him close and let him rest his head under her chin. Hotch let JJ move closer, and at once, the three of them were cuddling. It was quiet in the house. Michael's breathing could be heard amongst them, and the sound of the heating kicking in was faint. JJ smiled as Hotch began to run his fingers through her hair.

"We're gonna get married one day, you know that?" JJ said softly, her eyes beginning to close.

"Yeah," Hotch said, continuing to stroke Jennifer's hair.

"...gonna be a wedding...yeah?"

"Mm-hm," Hotch said gently. "...big wedding..."

"...I'm falling...asleep..." JJ mumbled. "...you'll be here...when I get...up?"

Hotch smiled and pulled JJ and Michael in close to him. "I'll be here. I'll always be here."

Aaron began to fall asleep to the small sounds Jennifer made while drifting off. He slowly stopped stroking her hair and instead let his hand rest on her shoulder, covered by a woollen blanket. And he smiled, for he knew that sometimes the universe gets tired and need to rest, too.

* * *

 **I hope you liked it!**


	15. Infringement

**Here is chapter 15! This chapter is so moving in terms of the story, and it is sort of crucial?¿!¡**

* * *

"What's that?" JJ asked as she adjusted Michael on her lap. She pointed to a page in the picture book they were reading.

"Ba!" Michael exclaimed, hitting the picture.

"Yay!" JJ said with a smile. "Ball! Good job!"

"One for you," Hotch said as he came out of the kitchen with two coffee cups and a sippy cup of milk. "One for me, and one for Michael."

"Ta-ooh!" Michael said as he took the cup into his feeble hands. JJ put the book down and pulled Michael close to her.

"Mom! Mom!" Henry yelled from the backyard. "MOM!"

Henry's tone of voice indicated there was something wrong, and JJ wasn't slow to respond to her gut. She picked up Michael and all three of them ran outside.

"Mom!" Henry was calling by the time JJ, Hotch, and Michael got outside.

"What happened?" JJ asked, putting Michael on her hip.

"Jack, are you alright?" Hotch inquired, approaching the boys.

Henry stood up and walked over to his mother. "We were playing and...and—"

Jack got up from the ground, his left arm being held by his right arm tightly. "That soccer ball," he said. "I wanted to do a balancing trick—"

"That's all we need to know," JJ said softly.

"I said it was wrong!" Henry exclaimed.

Jack scoffed. "I don't remember you saying anything."

"Did too!"

"No, you didn't! I didn't hear anything!" Jack exclaimed.

"Then you don't have ears!" Henry shot back.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Yes I do! They're right here!"

"Come on, Jack," Hotch said, putting his hand on Jack's shoulder. "Let's get you to the emergency room." Both adults exchanged looks as Hotch and Jack walked back through the house.

"No fair," Henry said, kicking some leaves about. "I wanna go to the emergency room!"

JJ laughed. "Find another way to do it because from now on, you're not allowed to stand on soccer balls."

"I am allowed!" Henry exclaimed. "You're too busy—"

"What, with Michael?" JJ said, cutting her son off. "Henry, I've heard this all before. What's the problem?"

"Nothing!" Henry said before he ran off. "At least Jack likes me."

Jennifer rolled her eyes and kissed the top of Michael's forehead before pushing his hair back. "Your brother's something," she said.

* * *

That evening, Henry's jealousy grew even more when he saw Jack in his new blue arm cast. He'd broken his arm with his fall, and he'd fractured several bits of bone around the elbow. It was painful and itchy, and despite that, Henry wanted that attention.

"'s only a broken arm," the eight year old said with a frown. He folded his arms and looked his mother right in the eyes. "What's so special?"

JJ shook her head softly and looked down. "Henry, don't start."

Henry rolled his eyes. "Michael's asleep! Why are you ignoring me now?"

"Jack's got a broken arm, Henry, and he's getting attention because he had an accident."

"JJ," came Hotch's voice from the kitchen. He sounded urgent in his words. JJ got up from the couch and followed his voice.

"Yeah?"

"About Henry—"

"Yeah, look I'm—" JJ began. Hotch hushed her by pressing his finger to Jennifer's lips. JJ's eyes followed his finger.

"JJ, he's jealous," Hotch said. "He's jealous of Michael—"

Jennifer's face fell. Hotch nodded in understanding.

"Of Michael?" She said. "...because he's a baby..."

"And he's getting more attention than he is."

JJ laughed to herself and looked down. "I didn't think...I'd have to go through that...with him, mostly because he's eight now, but.."

"But that's the thing," Hotch said. "He's spent...what, seven years of his life as an only child. He had all of your attention, and now it's suddenly being shared. Add Jack and I to the mix, and he's overwhelmed."

JJ sighed. "What do I say to him? I never thought he'd get jealous."

"Make sure he knows what he's feeling is okay," Hotch said. "Don't invalidate his feelings, but accept them. Give him lots of room to talk...he might not be willing to at first, but he'll come around."

"Thank you," JJ said with a sincere smile. Her hand rested on Aaron's forearm and she squeezed it affectionately. He was always there for her.

* * *

When Halloween rolled around, the boys were more than eager to go out and collect candy. Hotch and JJ had agreed to take them all out, in an attempt to bring everybody closer together and perhaps eliminate the uneasy feelings floating around. JJ had taken time to talk to Henry and figure out exactly what was wrong. Hotch said it was obvious— Henry was jealous of the fact that Michael was getting all of the attention. But it wasn't just that. He was also jealous of Jack and Hotch getting JJ's time. JJ thought that going out as a "family" would minimize the problem, but everyone knows that sometimes walking one step forward just brings you two steps back.

"All ready to go?" Aaron called from the kitchen. He was soothing a very fussy Michael, and he was yelling over the baby's cries.

Jack and Henry had decided to dress as ninja turtles, as this was a show they both enjoyed to watch after school. Hotch and JJ loved the idea and stuck with the theme by wearing bandanas and painting green lines on their faces.

"Lemme take him," JJ said to Aaron softly as she took Michael from his arms. She exchanged looks with him and sighed. "If he's hungry—"

"Hurry up!" Henry exclaimed, leaning against the front door. "We wanna go out!"

"Henry..." Jack hissed.

"What?" Henry shot back. And then the boys went off bickering at each other.

"I am so sorry," JJ said weakly as she bounced her baby and kissed his head. "I forgot how difficult little ones are."

"It's alright," Hotch said lightly.

"Let's go," she said. "Maybe he'll like it in the stroller."

"Are you sure?" Hotch asked. "We can stay—"

JJ shook her head. "No, let's go."

* * *

It was well into the night by the time Hotch, JJ, and the boys returned from trick-or-treating. Michael had fallen asleep in the stroller quite quickly, and Hotch had collected him and taken him upstairs. JJ put the boys' costumes in the laundry and she'd put their pillowcases of candy in the living room, ready for them to go through. After Hotch had put Michael to bed, he went downstairs and met everyone so they could look through everything.

"Jack, you're supposed to give all your Cheetos to my mom," Henry said, sliding his own group of chips to his left. "Mom always gets my Cheetos."

JJ chuckled to herself and shook her head. "Henry, it's okay. I have enough Cheetos as it is. You brought home enough."

Henry glared at his mother. "You make me give you my Cheetos, but you don't make Jack?"

"I'm not Jack's parent, Henry," JJ said. "You need to calm down, Buddy. What's wrong with you?"

Jack and Hotch exchanged glances. Hotch then looked at JJ. "I'm sorry," JJ said, looking down at all of the candy. "It's a bit late for you boys, isn't it?"

"Can we sort our candy out in the morning?" Jack asked, pushing all of his treats to one side.

"Course we can," Hotch said. "Come on, let's go brush our teeth, yeah?"

Henry looked at JJ.

"You wanna go?" JJ asked, gesturing to Hotch and Jack. Henry nodded.

"Bye," Henry said as he brushed past JJ.

"Yeah, I'll be up in a couple minutes to kiss you," she replied as she began pushing Henry's candy to the side.

She was determined to figure out the root cause of his behaviour problem that was arising. She was sure it had to do with the 'invaders', or Hotch and Jack...but she was starting to think it had something to do with Michael. Every time he got mad, he would comment on the difference between him and his baby brother, and he would criticize his mother for treating them differently. The truth is, they'd be treated a lot more alike had they been born closer together, but things don't always work out the way you want them to.

* * *

"You're making sleepy sounds," Aaron said with a smile as he pushed JJ's hair back. She looked into his eyes, fighting to keep hers open.

"'Cause I'm sleepy," she murmured. "See? Sleepy..."

"Do you want a blanket?" Hotch asked. "Anything?"

JJ shook her head and grabbed his sweater and pulled it over her head. "Come here."

"You sure you don't want a blanket?" Hotch asked. JJ sat him down on the couch and climbed into his lap. She sleepily curled up and he rested his arm around her.

"No blankets," she said with a soft smile. "G'night."

Hotch stroked JJ's forehead with his left hand. With his right hand, he reached out and turned off the living room lamp.

"Goodnight, JJ," he whispered. "I love you."

He would've fallen asleep right then and there, but he could have sworn he saw a small smile escape her lips as she fell into her slumber.

* * *

 **I hope you liked this chapter :))**


	16. Boundaries

**Author's Note: it's literally been 2 months since I last updated, but oh well...at least I've got a whole lot of other stuff planned out. School starts soon for me, so I will be off of social media thankfully. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

"Where have you been?" JJ asked in a hoarse voice as she curled up on the couch with Michael in her arms.

"I was just out in the jewellers," Hotch said, hanging his coat on the coat hooks in the hall. "Nothing much."

"Jewellers?" JJ said. "...alright."

"It's not a surprise," Hotch told her. "You don't like surprises."

JJ looked down at Michael and stroked his forehead with her finger.

"Is he okay?" Hotch asked, walking over to the pair. He sat down beside them and grabbed a blanket.

Jennifer nodded, moving Michael slightly. "He's a bit warm," she said. "He was fussing all last night...this is probably why."

Hotch leaned over and put his hand on JJ's forehead. "You're a little warm, yourself," he said.

"I'm fine," JJ said. "It's this little guy I'm worried about."

Hotch wrapped the blanket around her and stood up. "Want any tea? Coffee?"

JJ smiled gratefully. "Tea please. Thank you."

"Does Michael need anything? Milk?" He added.

"Yeah, if it's alright," JJ said. "There should be a thing of it in there already," she said.

She slowly moved Michael so that he could rest in her arms. He opened his eyes and looked around.

"Hi, bubby," JJ said softly. "How are you?"

Michael cooed and smiled at his mother. JJ brushed his hair back and removed his blanket. She let him go on the ground so he could play. Hotch walked over with tea and milk.

"Thank you," JJ said as she took her tea. Hotch sat down beside her and leaned over to ruffle Michael's hair. "How's it been?"

JJ shrugged, looking over as Michael began to play with her leg.

"We've been sick since yesterday. I meant to call you at lunch but I fell asleep."

"No, no, sleep. It's alright. How's Henry?"

"He's doing better, actually. He's still a little resistant, but he's working at it," JJ said.

"Da," Michael said, as he toddled over to Aaron. He dropped a toy car into his lap and fell back onto the floor. "Da...da."

Jennifer exhaled sharply with a smile and took a sip of her tea. In hopes of changing the subject, she said, "Michael, you want milk?"

Michael reached out for his sippy cup and took it.

"I was thinking last night, you and me could go for a drink later?" Hotch said, looking down at his coffee.

JJ turned to Michael and ran her hand through his hair. She ruffled it and stroked the back of his head in thought.

"Yeah, definitely," she finally said. "I'm gonna need a babysitter, though—"

"We could get the boys together with one babysitter," Hotch offered. "I'll pay."

Jennifer smiled at the offer and nodded. "We can split it both ways," she said. "You don't need to pay for my two."

"I've got it," Hotch said. "Tonight is just gonna be about you and me." His voice became softer as he leaned in closer to JJ. It was warm, his company was. He felt like a summer breeze tied with a kiss. But she couldn't kiss him.

* * *

Jennifer tugged at her black play suit as she approached Aaron. His face lit up when he saw her. It always did.

"Look at you," he said. Jennifer noted the way he looked; in awe. She felt herself redden a little and looked down.

Standing in Jennifer's kitchen, the pair looked at each other and simply admired each other for everything. Sometimes it was hard to believe they were real, and that was ultimately the beauty of it.

"Is this too big on me?" JJ asked as she tightened the straps of her play suit.

"It looks fine, why, does it not feel right?" Hotch said, putting his hands on top of hers. He slowly tightened the strap of her play suit and was careful to not let his hand linger for longer than it needed to. He knew she got uncomfortable with touching quickly.

"It's alright now, thank you," she said, writing her phone number on the notebook her and Aaron had left out. She turned around and exhaled deeply.

"Ready to go?" Hotch asked lightly.

Jennifer smiled and pushed her hair back. "Yeah, if you are."

The pair left the house and got into Aaron's car out front. He drove an SUV, a six seater car that could comfortably seat his family and JJ's family.

"Do you think we're...dating?" JJ asked suddenly. They had barely gotten to the end of JJ's street when she asked. "Not to be be pushy—"

"Do you think we're dating?" Hotch asked back. "Do you wanna call it that?"

JJ thought for a moment and looked down at her watch. She looked up and sighed. "I think...we are...? I mean, we're going out a few times a month, we're spending a lot of time together, we're...you know? We're together."

"Definitely," Hotch agreed. "And...you're okay with that?"

"Yeah, are you?"

"Yeah."

Hotch kept his eye on the road, he was focused on getting them to one of their favourite restaurants for dinner.

"You know when we established our boundaries?" He said.

"Mhm," JJ said, running her fingers along her watch. "What about it?"

Hotch looked at her for a moment. "Are you still okay with everything?"

Jennifer looked at her colleague. "Yeah, just...you can hold my hand without asking...if you want. And you can touch my arms and legs."

"Okay," Hotch said softly, smiling a little as he turned back to the road. "You don't have to ask to hold my hand or touch me...I'm comfortable with you."

"I feel the same way—"

"But clothes," Hotch continued, "I think we should ask each other about."

"Definitely," JJ said. "I don't think I'm comfortable with that yet."

* * *

"How well do you think the boys will take us being together?" Aaron asked Jennifer as they sat down at a small table by the bar.

"I think it'll all work out in the end," the woman responded.

"What about right now?"

JJ sighed. "I don't know, everything's different. Like, do you think Jack will handle it well? Henry? I know Michael is alright, he loves you."

"Jack asked me the other day if you and I would get married," Hotch told her.

JJ's face lit up and a small smile pressed against her lips. "He did?"

Hotch nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah...he wants everything. And when he said that, I thought about our wedding. I thought about the boys in their suits, the cake, the venue...and I thought about us. I thought about everything."

"We'll get married one day," Jennifer said. "One day."

"How's everything going with you and your appointments?"

JJ shrugged as she picked up a menu. "I woke up with a few cramps this morning, so it's on its way," she said. "It'll be worse tomorrow."

"I'm sorry," Hotch said. "I'll go and get you chocolates and other things later, alright?"

JJ grinned. "You're too good to me."

A waitress walked over and got their orders. Hotch and JJ both ordered burgers and beer. They would end up moving to the bar to drink after their dinner.

"Okay," JJ said quietly, looking down at the table. "Alright, look. My mother wants to come and visit us...but she's not exactly aware of...us."

Hotch raised his eyebrows. "She doesn't know about me?"

JJ nodded. "Yeah," she said. "It's nothing bad, I mean, she knows I'm talking to other people—"

"What?"

"She doesn't want me dating my boss," JJ said. "I'm sure she'll warm up to you when she meets you, but that's just something she's not keen on."

"Do you not want me around?" Hotch asked.

"I want you to meet her," Jennifer told him. "You're...you're my boyfriend. You have to meet her."

Hotch shrugged. "If she doesn't want you to date me, JJ, it's alright—"

"Aaron, it isn't you, it's your position...and that doesn't affect anything but her perception of you. She might love you, you know."

"Might...until she finds out I'm your boss—"

"Boyfriend," JJ said. "I...think you're my boyfriend."

Both adults stopped talking for a few moments while their drinks were being served. They said thank you and resumed their conversation. Both of them were looking down at their drinks.

"I'm an adult, and it doesn't matter who I date," JJ said quietly. "But workplace relationships—"

"They don't work out," Hotch said. "If we stop seeing each other, we still have to see each other at work. It's a kind of hell."

"We're not like that," JJ said. "We're mature and we love each other in a way I haven't loved before—"

"They all start out that way," Hotch interjected, playing with a thread on his jeans. "All of them. I feel that way now, JJ, but how do we know that this is for the better?"

"Because it made us happy at one point."

Hotch sighed. "I want to be with you, but maybe your mother is right."

"Anyone would tell you not to date your boss. Why is this a problem suddenly?"

"Because I never saw it this way," Hotch said. "I didn't see work as a component of this...I saw you and me, not profiler and unit leader."

JJ folded her hands. "You wanna be with me, but you think I shouldn't be with you...is that what you're saying?"

Hotch shook his head. "No, not at all. I just think that I shouldn't meet your mother...not yet. Talk to her about this, please. Her thoughts and feelings should mean something to you—"

"Alright," JJ said quietly. "I'll talk to her...but...she needs to see that I'm not a child anymore—"

"She doesn't, she's just looking out for you."

"...Rosaline died and I kept on going, and my mother can't understand that you can live without living."

"What?" Hotch said.

JJ sighed. "She thinks I'm 11 years old. She thinks my sister is still alive, and she believes I didn't get pregnant with Henry after a one night stand. She also doesn't believe I'm dating my boss...but look how that turned out."

Hotch frowned and picked up his beer. "I screwed up a lot, you know, but I got where I wanted to go."

"Yeah?" JJ said.

"I think so," Hotch said. "I'm not breaking the law, I'm not upsetting anybody...I'd say I'm doing alright."

JJ looked down. "I guess," she said. "I mean...I'm not happy though. I'm happy with you, but there's something else that I'm not happy with."

"What's that?" Hotch said.

JJ shrugged. "I don't know. It's a feeling, though."

"It's alright if you don't know. Maybe it'll get better with time."

"Yeah, maybe," JJ said, not sounding convinced by his words at all.

* * *

 **Author's Note: lmao Michael literally said his first word but JJ covered that up so fast.**


	17. Adoration

**Chapter 17!**

* * *

Jennifer Jareau had tried not to pay attention to the fact that her son's first word was "dada," given the only father figure around was Aaron Hotchner. She felt quite bad about dismissing it all because she just wanted to be a supportive mother, but in the end she'd only ended up ignoring him. When the snow began to fall, Jack stayed over more frequently. The boys had snowball fights in the yard, and Hotch would stay inside with JJ and play with Michael. The days were becoming shorter and darker, and their subtle need for each other was getting to be unbearable.

"Whose house are we at for Christmas?" JJ asked one evening in early December.

"We're together?" Hotch replied. "You wanna spend it together?"

JJ, who was holding Michael at the time, looked down at him and nodded. "Yeah...what about you?"

"I'd love to," he said. "Where would it be easiest?"

Jennifer shrugged lightly and looked around. "Maybe mine? It's baby-proofed and—"

"Yeah," Hotch said. "We can cook dinner and have a little celebration of our own."

JJ smiled and sincerely and put her hand on his arm. "That sounds really nice."

* * *

"So, are you going to teach me how to cook for Christmas?" JJ asked as she sat down at the dinner table.

"You're cooking for Christmas?" Henry said, turning to Hotch. "My mom can't cook."

Hotch put his hands together and smiled slightly. "I'm gonna teach her," he said.

"She can't cook," Jack mentioned as he picked up his burger. "She didn't make these, did she?"

Hotch laughed. "No, I did."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Case and point. Is it even possible to learn how to cook at that age?"

"What age?" JJ said in defence as her jaw dropped. "What are you saying? That I'm too old to learn how to cook?"

Jack and Henry nodded collectively, giggling. "Yeah."

JJ pursed her lips and looked over at Michael, who was busy playing with small pieces of a burger bun.

"You know, I still make good milk," she said. "Really good."

Jack and Henry winced. "No, mom," Henry said. "That's too much information–"

"No it isn't, Buddy, relax," JJ said with a laugh. "At least that's one thing I can make. Oh, and coffee!"

* * *

"You have very tiny hands," Hotch told JJ as he watched her handle Michael's baby toys in the living room. "Come here."

JJ approached Aaron and held out her hands. Aaron took her hand and held up his own beside it.

"See? Small," he said.

"Is it a bad thing?" JJ asked with a little laugh.

Aaron smiled. "Not at all...you're lovely."

JJ could feel herself blushing. She looked down and realized her hand was still in his. She slipped it out quickly and shifted back over to Michael's toys.

"Want help?"

"Yeah, actually," JJ said. "I don't normally have this much to clean up, but I guess this time I do."

Hotch gave a faint smile as he bent down to collect toys. "Sorry if I made you feel weird just now."

"It's fine," JJ said. "Nobody notices those things—"

"I do," Hotch said. "Everything. There's tons of little things about you that make me quite happy, and one of them is how small and delicate you are."

Jennifer grinned, slightly tightening her grip on a plush alphabet block. She could feel herself inching closer to the man and she couldn't feel herself pulling back.

"I like you a lot," she said. "Like, a lot. And I know you—"

"I love you," Aaron said.

JJ swallowed thickly and looked down. "I know."

Aaron nodded slightly and looked away. "If you don't feel the same—"

"I do," JJ said. "Very much the same, but I don't know how to control what's going on right now..."

"Commitment issues?" Hotch said. "That's alright, JJ. It's okay."

Jennifer shook her head. "No, you love me, and I can't say it back."

"I don't care, I just want you to know that I'd do anything to make you happy and keep you safe."

"It's this sorta stuff that gets me overwhelmed," JJ said with a nervous smile. "I really wanna move forward with you, but part of me keeps pulling me back, and I know it's unwillingly."

"When you're able to move forward with me, let me know, okay? No pressure at all...I don't want you to think I'm forcing you..."

JJ leaned in closer and wrapped her arms around him. She nestled her head in his neck and she smiled when she felt his arms around her body, holding her closely. One of his hands went to the top of her head and travelled down her hair and back again, while his other maintained a tight hold. She felt safe and loved and protected, she felt like nothing in the world could possibly go wrong.

* * *

 **I hope you liked this chapter! Do you want me to focus on specific characters/storylines/etc? Please let me know!**


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